New York’s debate over data centers is unfolding as Americans grow more skeptical of the industry’s effects on electricity bills, the environment and nearby communities — concerns already shaping development decisions across the Finger Lakes.
A new Pew Research Center analysis, published Nov. 11, brings together research on where data centers are expanding, how much electricity they consume and how public opinion has changed.
The findings help explain the scrutiny facing projects near Cayuga and Seneca lakes, along with local restrictions in communities such as Auburn and Dryden. They also show why New York’s temporary state permitting pause has not settled the debate.
Pew counted 148 operating data centers in New York and six in development, using industry database information collected Feb. 19. That placed New York among nine states with at least 100 operating facilities.
Those figures are a snapshot rather than a current inventory of approved projects. Pew’s development category includes facilities under construction, planned projects and sites where land has been reserved for potential development. A listing does not establish that construction will occur.
Nationally, Pew identified more than 3,000 operating facilities and at least 1,500 in development.
The geography of that expansion matters for upstate New York. While 87% of existing U.S. data centers were in urban areas, two-thirds of planned facilities were in rural areas. Nearly four in 10 planned facilities were in counties without an existing data center.
That shift is bringing decisions about large computing facilities into communities whose zoning, infrastructure and development plans may not have anticipated them.
Auburn confronted that problem when the City Council approved a 12-month moratorium on data storage facilities Aug. 6.
The city blocked applications while it updates its comprehensive plan and considers permanent regulations. The restriction covers conversions of existing buildings as well as new construction. Planning Director Stephen Selvek said it also reaches smaller facilities outside the state’s hyperscale threshold.
Dryden went further, adopting zoning changes in February that prohibit data centers and cryptocurrency mines after an earlier moratorium.
Lansing is considering its own prohibition as TeraWulf pursues its Lake Hawkeye proposal at the former Cayuga power plant property. A Nov. 17 public meeting will address the proposed zoning changes. The company has separately filed a court challenge over the town’s handling of public-records requests and alleged private communications.
Along Seneca Lake, Seneca Lake Guardian has organized demonstrations and sought a Torrey moratorium as Greenidge, now Vulcan Infrastructure and Power, pursues a shift toward artificial intelligence and high-performance computing.
The company previously identified 60 megawatts of non-curtailable grid power at Dresden and said it had initiated a study process seeking another 200 megawatts. Entering that process does not establish approval for the additional capacity.
Electricity demand is a central concern nationally. Pew’s summary, drawing on International Energy Agency estimates, says U.S. data center electricity consumption increased from 108 terawatt-hours in 2020 to 183 in 2024. It is projected to reach 426 by 2030.
Those national figures do not establish how much a particular Finger Lakes project would consume or how it would affect a household’s bill. They illustrate the scale of growth regulators are attempting to manage.
New York’s July executive order establishing a temporary permitting moratorium cited nearly 12,000 megawatts of data center requests in the grid interconnection queue as of May. Those requests represent potential demand, rather than facilities already operating.
The order covers qualifying facilities capable of consuming at least 50 megawatts. It directs the Department of Environmental Conservation to hold certain discretionary permit applications that had not been deemed complete before July 14 while the state conducts an environmental review.
- Hochul expands AI oversight, but data center moratorium gaps remain a Finger Lakes concern
- Data center backlash becomes part of New York’s post-election debate
- Gonzalez renews data center bill push as Rochester discussion brings debate closer to Finger Lakes
- Jail controversy, AI data center concerns and broadband expansion dominate Yates County meeting
It excludes local permits and exempts facilities primarily used for purposes including research, education, manufacturing and medical care. Those limits help explain why municipalities have pursued additional restrictions.
Public skepticism has grown alongside the development pipeline.
In a Pew survey of 10,548 U.S. adults conducted July 20 through Aug. 9, 54% said data centers were mostly bad for the environment, up from 39% in January. Half said they were mostly bad for home energy costs, while 49% said the same about nearby quality of life.
Six in 10 said they would be uncomfortable with a new data center operating in their area. Majorities of both Democrats and Republicans expressed discomfort.
These are national findings, not a New York poll. They measure perceptions rather than proving that a particular facility caused higher rates or environmental harm.
Views of jobs and tax revenue were more divided, with similar shares describing data centers as beneficial or harmful.
New York’s response includes an effort to help communities negotiate those benefits. Hochul’s July announcement directed development of guidance on infrastructure investments, workforce commitments and financial support for host communities.
For Finger Lakes governments, the decisions remain specific: which facilities to allow, what protections to require, what benefits developers will guarantee and who will pay for the infrastructure needed to serve them.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.