What Democrats Can Learn From New York's Data Center Moratorium
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the first US order pausing data center development in July, yet some residents want tougher limits. Ahead of the US midterm elections, data centers have become a major political issue in many states.
New York's Democratic governor, Kathy Hochul, signed the country's first executive order pausing data center development for one year in July. With the US midterm elections due next Tuesday, data centers have become a leading campaign issue, and New York's experience may show what newly elected officials face if they have promised to restrain the industry.
A compromise with legislators
Hochul signed her order just two months after dismissing the idea of a moratorium. A few weeks earlier, the state legislature had passed a broader bill with a one-year moratorium. It included tighter limits on data center size and required the Department of Environmental Conservation to carry out a thorough environmental impact review. Hochul issued her own order instead of signing the bill; she has until the end of the year to sign it, and her office says it is still reviewing it.
State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, a sponsor of the bill, has publicly backed the governor's moratorium but stresses that it is only a first step. After touring the state, she said residents overwhelmingly want stronger measures. She cited air and noise pollution and rising utility and water bills.
Local opposition
In western Genesee County, Adrienne Yocina, a mother of three, has spent two years organizing against a 600-megawatt data center planned near the Tonawanda Seneca Nation's reservation and a federal wildlife refuge. She says she is getting nervous, fearing Hochul will not sign the stricter bill. Her group is now brainstorming other uses for the site.
Voter sentiment
Hochul holds a comfortable lead over Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman. In a Quinnipiac poll, 53 percent trusted Hochul more on AI and data centers, against 31 percent for Blakeman. A Siena poll found 63 percent of New Yorkers would still oppose data centers in their area after the moratorium ends, rising to 75 percent among Democrats.
According to government relations firm MultiState, at least 20 gubernatorial candidates have promised a moratorium or pause.
