New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued an executive order on Tuesday enacting a one-year statewide moratorium on new large-scale datacenters used to power artificial intelligence products.
The first-of-its-kind state-level directive halts the permitting process for proposed "hyperscale" facilities exceeding 50 megawatts in capacity.
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State regulators will use the pause to establish environmental and energy standards.
Hochul emphasized that the rapid expansion of these facilities poses immediate risks to local resources and utility infrastructure across the state.
"As data center development threatens to hike up utility bills, deplete our natural resources, and create uncertainty for New Yorkers, it’s my responsibility to take action and lead," said Hochul.
The decision comes amid growing national concern regarding the environmental footprint of AI infrastructure.
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A Siena Research Institute poll shows 46% of New Yorkers support the freeze, while 21% oppose it.
Democratic State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, who previously authored a similar legislative bill containing labor and transparency standards, expressed support for the executive action.
"With this executive order, Governor Hochul is protecting everyday New Yorkers with a first in the nation moratorium on new large data centers.
By giving our state time to plan, we can ensure that development and innovation do not come at the expense of all of us," said Gonzalez.
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While Maine previously approved a legislative moratorium that was ultimately vetoed, New York remains the only US state with an active statewide halt on these high-capacity facilities.
