New York Legislature Passes Data Center Moratorium

In St. Lawrence County, local legislators want a seat at the table.

A data center in Tennessee. Courtesy of CleanSpark

The New York state Legislature passed a one-year data center permit moratorium June 4 in the final days of the legislative session. If Gov. Kathy Hochul signs it into law, New York would be the first to enact a statewide moratorium.

The legislation requires a pause on permitting while the state Department of Environmental Conservation conducts a comprehensive study on the impact of data centers on electricity, pollution, and water and land use.