New York governor orders first statewide data center moratorium

Governor Kathy Hochul issued an executive order on Tuesday imposing the nation's first statewide moratorium on large-scale data center construction. Per Grist, the pause comes as tech companies flood New York with projects to build computing infrastructure for artificial intelligence—driving up utility bills and straining the power grid. During this one-year pause, the state will analyze data centers' environmental impact and develop requirements for them to either pay more for electricity or generate their own power. Hochul is also directing state officials to develop a framework to help local communities negotiate better terms with data center developers, focused on infrastructure investments, child care support, financial assistance, and labor standards.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton