New York State lawmakers have passed a one-year moratorium on new large data centers, marking the first statewide ban of its kind pending Governor Kathy Hochul's signature.
The legislation aims to give policymakers time to assess the environmental and economic impacts of large-scale data center operations. State legislators supporting the bill cited concerns about resource consumption and rising energy costs.
Under the measure, New York's environmental agency must produce a comprehensive impact report evaluating data center usage of electricity, water, and land, alongside pollution metrics. The moratorium applies only to new facilities during the one-year period.
Data centers have expanded significantly across the state in recent years, driven by cloud computing demand and artificial intelligence infrastructure needs. The ban represents a cautious approach as policymakers weigh the industry's economic benefits against environmental costs and strain on local power grids.
Governor Hochul has not yet indicated whether she will sign the legislation into law.
The Dutch government will only permit European companies to operate its DigiD digital identity platform, a decision aimed at maintaining control over critical infrastructure.
Tech companies are weaponizing the US free trade agreement and threats of Trump administration retaliation to fight Australia's proposed law requiring them to pay news publishers.
Convalt Energy will build a 1,200-megawatt hydropower project and AI data center in Lesotho for $6.2 billion. The investment marks a significant infrastructure commitment for the Southern African nation.