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

The New York State legislature has passed a bill imposing a one-year moratorium on the development of new large data centers. If signed by Governor Kathy Hochul, the law will mandate that the state’s environmental agency conduct an assessment of the electricity, water, and land usage of these facilities, as well as the pollution they generate. Additionally, the legislation requires firms proposing projects with a peak demand of 20 megawatts or more to fund public hearings. While proponents argue the pause is necessary to understand the environmental footprint of data centers, industry critics suggest the blanket ban could harm the state’s economic growth.

(Source：The Verge)