New York enacts first US statewide data center moratorium

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a one-year moratorium blocking new environmental permits for data centers of 50 megawatts or more. A separate bill passed by the state legislature that would lower the threshold to 20 megawatts still awaits her signature.

Why it matters: It's the first statewide block on new data center construction in the US, aimed at curbing rising energy prices tied to AI infrastructure growth.