Cross-posted from "New York enacts first US ban on data center construction" by @Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone in !usnews@beehaw.org
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.
15 Comments
sidebro@lemmy.zip · 25 pts · 40d
FoxAlive@lemmy.zip · 15 pts · 40d
Not enough of a limit on power IMO still allows for some pretty large data centers to be built. But progress is progress.
New York once again really impressing me this year.
lechekaflan@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 39d
Onward, the Butlerian Jihad!
rounding_error@lemmy.today · 3 pts · 40d
motruck@lemmy.zip · -21 pts · 40d
Banning data centers where none wants to build dara centers. Great job.
Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 11 pts · 40d
What makes you think that nobody wants to anywhere in New York State?
motruck@lemmy.zip · -3 pts · 39d
Look at where tech companies build data centers. New York is never on top of the list.
athatet@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 39d
Yeah. Cause it’s against the law there.
kibblebits@quokk.au · -23 pts · 40d
They’ll just name it something else and build it anyway.
Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 47 pts · 40d
The law is targeted based on how much energy it consumes, not what they call it.
Knee jerk doomerism is an emotional response, not an intellectual one.
zakobjoa@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 40d
This... uh... Information Hub consumes 50 Mebiwatts of power, wink wink.
allywilson@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 40d
Isn't the easy way to work around this by building 2x25MW data centres next to each (down the road, a mile away, next county, whatever) and just ensure they operate as 1 with high speed dark fibre?
kibblebits@quokk.au · -17 pts · 40d
Labeling disagreement as “emotional” is easier than engaging with the substance. My point is about enforcement, not despair.
Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 20 pts · 40d
Saying 'they won't enforce it' isn't substance, it's an assertion you provided no evidence for.
kibblebits@quokk.au · -12 pts · 40d
You want me to provide evidence of laws that aren’t enforced in the US?
You’re joking, right?
frisbird@lemmy.ml · 12 pts · 40d
You don't know what you're talking about. There's two ways to power a data center: grid power and island power. In NYS, island power is nearly impossible at scale due to laws about burning fossil fuels and you can't hide that scale. They'll never get permits. Grid power goes through a bureaucratic request queue. Putting a moratorium on 20MW+ means requests get denied.
No power, no data center