New York lawmakers propose a 3-year pause on new data centers

New York state lawmakers have introduced a bill that would impose a moratorium of at least three years on permits tied to the construction and operation of new data centers. The bill was sponsored by state senator Liz Krueger and assemblymember Anna Kelles, both Democrats. Krueger described her state as completely unprepared for the massive data centers that are gunning for New York. It is time to hit the pause button, give ourselves some breathing room to adopt strong policies on data centers, and avoid getting caught in a bubble that will burst and leave New York utility customers footing a huge bill, she said. Eric Weltman of Food and Water Watch told Wired that the New York bill was our idea. While the bill's prospects are uncertain, New York is at least the sixth state to consider pausing construction of new data centers. Both Democrats and Republicans have expressed concerns about the impact those data centers might have on surrounding communities. Studies have also linked data centers to increased home electricity bills.