\u201cNew York becomes the first state to impose a data center moratorium\u201d, 14 July 2026<\/p>\n
New York became the first U.S. state on Tuesday to halt construction of large new data centers, imposing \u200ca one-year moratorium as concerns grow that the facilities driving the artificial-intelligence boom are raising power costs, straining water supplies and burdening local communities\u2026<\/p>\n
The construction \u200bban will apply to data centers that use 50 megawatts or more of power, officials in the governor’s office said.<\/p>\n
During the moratorium, the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation will not issue any discretionary permits not already deemed complete, the governor’s office said.<\/p>\n
Instead, Hochul directed state officials to develop \u200ba Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) to ensure that new data centers coming online are being held to “consistent standards,\u201d\u2026<\/p>\n
The ban will be lifted once the state \u200cfinalizes those \u2060standards, according to Hochul’s office\u2026<\/p>\n
New York’s legislature last month passed a bill meant to impose guardrails on data centers, but it has not yet been sent to Hochul’s desk for signing. Officials in her office described the bill as complicated\u2026<\/p>\n