Proposed data centers are dividing New York communities over jobs, tax revenue, environmental impacts and pressure on the electric grid, according to Spectrum News 1.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has imposed a one-year moratorium on state permits for new data centers using at least 50 megawatts while officials develop regulations for energy, water, noise and other impacts.
Projects in Lansing, Somerset and the town of Alabama have drawn opposition over electricity use, water consumption, noise, wildlife and potential effects on nearby residents and Indigenous lands.
Supporters argue the facilities can reuse former industrial sites, create construction jobs and restore tax revenue, while opponents question their permanent employment benefits and long-term costs.
The moratorium does not affect projects already permitted, but several communities have adopted local pauses as New York studies grid reliability and potential requirements for data center operators to fund infrastructure upgrades.
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