New York State has taken the lead in the United States by implementing a moratorium on the construction of new, large-scale data centers. On July 14, Governor Kathy Hochul issued an executive order that prohibits the development of data centers with an electricity load of 50 megawatts or greater for a duration of one year. Throughout this timeframe, the state's Department of Environmental Conservation will pause the granting of pertinent approval permits and will take charge of formulating environmental standards and assessment reports. This initiative is designed to mitigate the energy, environmental, and community repercussions that accompany the proliferation of data centers.
