New York lawmakers propose three-year pause on new data centers

New York state legislators have presented a bill That would impose a moratorium of at least three years on permits linked to the construction and operation of new data centers. While the bill’s prospects are uncertain, Wired reports that New York is at least the sixth state to consider suspending construction of new data centers.

As technology companies plan to spend increasing amounts of money to build artificial intelligence infrastructure, both Democrats and Republicans have expressed concerns about the impact those data centers could have on surrounding communities. Studies have also linked data centers with increased electricity bills at home.

Critics include progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has called for a national moratoriumas well as the conservative governor of Florida, Ron De Santis, who such data centers will lead to “Higher energy bills just so a chatbot can corrupt a 13-year-old online.”

More than 230 environmental groups, including Food & Water Watch, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, recently signed an open letter to Congress calling for a national moratorium on building new data centers.

Eric Weltman of Food & Water Watch told Wired that the New York bill, sponsored by state Sen. Liz Krueger and Assemblywoman Anna Kelles, both Democrats, was “our idea.” Democrats have also proposed data center pauses in Georgia, Vermont and Virginia, while Republicans sponsored similar bills in Maryland and Oklahoma.

According to PoliticoKrueger described his state as “completely unprepared” for the “massive data centers” that are “targeting New York.”

“It’s time to hit the pause button, give ourselves a break to adopt strong data center policies and avoid getting caught in a bubble that will burst and leave New York utility customers paying a huge bill,” he said.

Last month, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a new initiative called Energize NY Development, which his office said would modernize the way large energy users (i.e. data centers) would connect to the grid while requiring them to “pay their fair share.”