With new data centers cropping up in farms, fields and communities on what seems like the daily, some U.S. policymakers are pumping the brakes.
On July 14, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order to create the nation’s first moratorium on new hyperscale data centers. The order temporarily pauses state environmental permits for up to one year while policymakers work to build a regulatory framework that protects ratepayers, the environment, the energy grid and communities across the state.
The legislation comes amid growing opposition to data center buildouts by local communities. According to a June poll conducted by Reuters and Ipsos, 40 percent of Americans strongly oppose a data center being built within their community, while only 14 percent support it. Public skepticism about artificial intelligence (AI) also persists, with 61 percent of survey respondents believing rapid growth in the use of AI is not a good thing for the country.
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