Gov. Hochul Hears Concerns Over Data Centers

FISHKILL – Governor Kathy Hochul and U.S. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pat Ryan last Tuesday toured Fishkill Farms, a family-owned, multigenerational farm in East Fishkill, Dutchess County and held a roundtable discussion with several local farmers, advocates and businesses to discuss the impacts of hyperscale data centers. Today’s discussion highlighted New York’s nation-leading moratorium on hyperscale data center construction, which is helping to protect local communities amid concerns over water and land use, energy costs, and proposed data center development, including in East Fishkill.

New York State is experiencing an unprecedented surge in proposals for data center development driven by artificial intelligence and other computing operations that could require massive amounts of energy and water to run and cool thousands of computer servers. This summer, Governor Hochul signed an Executive Order hitting pause on new hyperscale data center development. This action has temporarily paused discretionary State environmental permits for up to one year in order to build a regulatory framework that will protect ratepayers, the environment, the energy grid and communities across the state. By pausing discretionary state environmental permits for new hyperscale data center construction for up to one year and imposing strict new rules that hold data center developers accountable and ensure benefits for local residents, Governor Hochul’s moratorium is addressing the ongoing concerns being raised by communities statewide.

“As artificial intelligence grows more powerful and transforms our world as we know it, I’m standing up for New York’s farmers, small businesses and families — ensuring they aren’t left behind,” Governor Hochul said. “I enacted a nation-leading data center moratorium to protect our communities and hold developers accountable because I believe New Yorkers deserve a say in the decisions that affect their future. I’m proud to stand with Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pat Ryan as we deliver a government that’s committed to fighting for working families across New York.”

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, “Across the country, Silicon Valley billionaires are trying to impose data centers on communities that don’t want them. Today, Governor Hochul, Representative Ryan, and I heard directly from Hudson Valley farmers on the impacts these data centers have on the farming communities in New York State. In July, Governor Hochul took action to protect farmers and working New Yorkers by instituting a one-year moratorium on data center construction. New York is once again showing Americans what is possible when we put working people at the center of our agenda.”

Representative Pat Ryan said, “I’m so proud that here in the Hudson Valley we’re standing together and fighting back against these data center projects. We’re not going to let anyone — especially not a bunch of billionaire tech oligarchs — come in here and poison our water, drive up our utility bills, and build this powerful technology that even they acknowledge could have devastating impacts for humankind. This is a fight that transcends so many of the divides in our country right now because we’re all united in putting our community ahead of corporate profits. From our town boards, to the Governor’s nation-leading moratorium, to urgently needed action at the federal level, we’re going to continue our fight to ensure that we the people are the ones to decide what happens in our lives and in our communities.”

State Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “Tech companies are racing to profit off the AI boom, building data centers wherever they can and leaving communities to bear the costs through increased pressure on water supplies, energy infrastructure, and utility bills. New York is responding the right way — with Governor Hochul’s nation-leading moratorium, which is critical to giving the state time to understand the risks involved and, above all, protect ratepayers from higher bills and our natural resources from depletion. New York has an opportunity to lead in responsible innovation, and I thank Governor Hochul for her leadership and Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez for bringing this fight to the federal level.”

State Senator Kristen Gonzalez said, “Across New York State, communities are struggling with the impacts of unchecked data center development from demands on our natural resources to strains on our energy grid. On my New York Fights AI Data Centers Statewide Tour, I visited 13 proposed or existing data centers and met with communities, just like East Fishkill, fighting to protect their air, water, and land. I want to thank the Governor for her first-in-the-nation moratorium on the largest data centers and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for her work introducing federal data center legislation.”

In the absence of guidance from the federal government, Governor Hochul has taken action to regulate AI by signing and championing the Responsible AI Safety and Education (RAISE) Act. Starting in November, New York will direct large frontier AI developers to register with the State and prepare for compliance with strict requirements on transparency, safety, and incident reporting as prescribed by the RAISE Act. Those strict standards require large frontier AI developers to report critical safety incidents within 72 hours. Beginning in January 2027, AI companies will be required to comply with those strict standards and provide regular reporting to the state’s new Office of Digital Innovation, Governance, Integrity and Trust (DIGIT) established within the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS).