NY Lawmakers, Advocates, & 100+ Concerned New Yorkers Rally for Data Center Moratorium Bill (S.9144)

State lawmakers, advocacy groups, community leaders and more than 100 concerned New Yorkers rallied at the Capitol on May 13, calling for quick passage of S.9144/A.10141, a bill that would enact a pause on new hyperscale data center construction in the state. Bill sponsors and cosponsors spoke along with environmental and consumer advocates, faith leaders, small business owners, local elected officials and community leaders. The rally was followed by activist lobby meetings with 50 legislative offices to discuss the urgency of passing the bill in the next month. Introduced by State Senator Liz Krueger and Assemblymember Anna Kelles, with Senator Kristen Gonzalez as co-prime sponsor, the bill would create a temporary, three-year pause on new data-center development while the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Public Service Commission (PSC) complete comprehensive reports evaluating the industry’s current and projected effects on electricity usage and rates, water resources, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions and electronic waste, and issue new regulations to mitigate those negative impacts. Recently more than 150 community, consumer, environmental and faith organizations from throughout New York called for quick passage of the moratorium bill.