Cross posted from https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/45365549

New York has become the first US state to place a moratorium on the construction of data centers, The Washington Post reported. Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order pausing environmental permits for large data centers (consuming more than 50 megawatts) for up to a year. That would give state officials the required time to create rules protecting the electrical grid, environment and local communities.

“New York will lead the way in creating the strongest standards in the nation for data center development, ensuring that when companies succeed because of New York, New Yorkers succeed too,” said Hochul at a press conference. The order will take effect immediately and not affect projects that already have the required permits.

  • Aatube@piefed.social
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    6 days ago

    what loopholes? this seems pretty clear:

    hold in abeyance all applications for any discretionary permit, approval, license, or similar form of permission for the construction or expansion of a data center that (1) are or may hereafter be pending before DEC and (2) have not been determined to be complete by DEC before the date of this Executive Order

    (until the state assesses the general impact of the rate of data center construction we’ve seen, that is)