Auburn City Council could ask Governor Kathy Hochul to sign a moratorium on new data centers in the state.
Council is expected to vote Thursday on a resolution calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to sign the Responsible Data Center Development Act, which would impose a one-year moratorium on the construction of new data centers in the state and require New York to analyze the potential impact data centers could have on public health, the environment, communities, and electricity ratepayers. The act was passed by both houses of the state legislature on June 4.
The resolution claims New York has experienced a 43% increase in residential electricity rates between 2020 and 2025, something additional data centers would exacerbate. Additionally, the resolution claims these centers consume massive amounts of water, generate high levels of electronic waste, and negatively impact the quality of life in host communities while creating very few permanent jobs.
The city council meeting begins at 5:00p at City Hall.
