An article summarized by CBS News:
New York has become the first state in the U.S. to impose a one-year moratorium on the construction of new hyperscale data centers. Under an executive order signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, state agencies will stop approving environmental permits for these large facilities while officials develop new regulations governing their development.
Hochul said the pause is intended to address concerns that rapidly expanding data centers, driven largely by artificial intelligence and other high-performance computing needs, could increase utility costs, strain water supplies, and put additional pressure on the state's natural resources. Hyperscale data centers typically house thousands of servers and require significant amounts of electricity and water to operate.
During the one-year pause, New York's Department of Public Service will create statewide standards for future data center projects. Once those guidelines are completed, the moratorium will be lifted, with Hochul saying the goal is to ensure data center growth benefits both technology companies and New York residents while protecting the environment.
