New York lawmakers pass one-year ban on new data centers

The New York State legislature passed a one-year moratorium on new large data centers, the first statewide ban of its kind if Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul signs it into law. Lawmakers behind the bill say it’s meant to give policymakers time to understand the impact of large data centers on the environment and energy prices. It directs the state’s environmental agency to create an impact report assessing the amount of electricity, water, and land that data centers use, and the pollution they create. It also requires companies planning to build large data centers — defined as having a peak demand of at least 20 megawatts — to hold and fund a public hearing at least three months before it’s able to gain approval for the project. Hochul has not said whether she will sign the bill, and has until December to decide whether to sign or veto it, according to Bloomberg Government . It requires companies planning to build large data centers to hold and fund a public hearing Surveys show that most Americans oppose the idea of data centers in their communities , and heated public meetings across the country have shown it to be a galvanizing issue across the political spectrum. Earlier this year, Maine’s legislature passed a bill that would have banned new data centers until late 2027, but Democratic Governor Janet Mills vetoed it because it failed to include an exemption to a previously planned project, according to The New York Times . …