Now, New York lawmakers are back with new legislation. If approved, it will require a three-year pause on siting and opening new data centers. The bill was sponsored by state Senator Liz Krueger and Assemblymember Anna Kelles, both Democrats. It aims to address the increasing public outcry over the environmental impact and energy consumption associated with these facilities.
Just this month, Governor Kathy Hochul launched the Energize NY Development program. In response to those calls, the introduction of this bill has now materialized. This initiative seeks to modernize the connection process for large energy users, such as data centers, to the state’s power grid. Plus, it calls out that data centers should be a positive asset to the energy ecosystem they rely on.
Food & Water Watch’s Eric Weltman reflected on the sponsors’ backgrounds at the bill’s genesis, saying, “This is our idea. He also focused on the importance of looking carefully at data center policies. This closer look will make certain they work in crossing New York’s energy and environmental finish lines.
The proposed moratorium would stop all permits related to new data centers for at least three years. New York is the latest state to have advanced such measures, following Georgia, Vermont, Virginia, Maryland, and Oklahoma. More than 230 environmental groups have joined the call for a national pause on data center construction. Included in these organizations are Food & Water Watch, Friends of the Earth, and Greenpeace.
Senator Bernie Sanders has been increasingly vocal about the need for a national data center moratorium. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has voiced his apprehensions regarding the potential economic implications, suggesting that increased data center activity could lead to “higher energy bills just so some chatbot can corrupt some 13 year old kid online.”
This New York bill aims to buy policymakers time to develop robust, comprehensive regulations governing data centers exploitation of New York State. Governor Hochul emphasized the need for this pause, stating, “It’s time to hit the pause button, give ourselves some breathing room to adopt strong policies on data centers, and avoid getting caught in a bubble that will burst and leave New York utility customers footing a huge bill.”
As summer moves discussions on the bill forward, stakeholders from every sector of the economy are paying attention to its progress. The outcome of this legislation may set a precedent for how states manage the growth of data centers in relation to their energy infrastructure and environmental responsibilities.
