New York has become the first US state to enforce a data center moratorium, as governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order today to pause construction for one year.
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The order specifically pauses state environmental reviews for facilities over 50 megawatts, instructing the Department of Public Service to assess the environmental and energy impact of data centers during this time, and to develop a new generic environmental impact statement.
"We have no choice but to address the challenges created by these massive facilities," Hochul said at a press conference. She is also proposing an end to all tax incentives for data centers.
Construction of hyperscale data centers across the US, driven by the frenzy to capitalize on the AI industry, has reportedly raised concerns about the massive facilities’ impact on local communities.
In June, Vermont senator Bernie Sanders sat down with WIRED to discuss his own proposals for AI regulation, which would include a data center moratorium until safeguards are implemented.
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Today’s executive order is less aggressive than the Responsible Data Center Development Act passed by the New York legislature in June, which would enforce a 20 megawatt limit. But advocates for the bill applauded Hochul’s move.
Read the full story: www.wired.com/story/new-yo...
What an absolutely -awful- image edit of @sanders.senate.gov you chose to use for the article link's thumbnail! 😀