New York State Imposes One-Year Moratorium on New, Large Data Centers

New York has become the first state in the nation to put a pause on new hyperscale data centers. On Tuesday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the signing of an executive order that puts a moratorium on environmental permits for those facilities for up to one year. She says the purpose of this moratorium is to allow the state to establish the strongest standards for data center development and build a nation-leading framework...

Kathy Hochul: establishing guardrails

Hochul says the state has seen an increase in demand for data center development, which has led to proposals that could require massive amounts of energy and water...

Kathy Hochul: requires a lot of power

She has also directed Empire State Development to issue a Community Investment Framework within 60 days, which will provide clear guidance to local entities to help them negotiate community benefits as part of any large-scale data center deal. Hochul says the moratorium will be lifted once the state has a data center policy in place.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement in response to the executive order:

I applaud Governor Hochul for taking decisive action on data center construction. Today's executive order sends a clear message New Yorkers deserve a say in how this technology impacts their lives and communities.

This one-year moratorium is fundamentally about trust. Right now, New Yorkers aren't convinced these massive facilities benefit them. Before we move forward, our communities need ironclad guarantees that their energy bills won't spike, their water will be protected, and their air will remain clean.

At the federal level, my mission is to ensure AI innovation benefits every American, not just a powerful few. That requires establishing clear, reliable rules of the road. We must build a framework that protects our kids from harmful algorithms and social media tools; shields seniors and consumers from AI-driven scams and fraud; and safeguards American jobs and livelihoods from displacement.