Key facts
- East Fishkill, New York, has implemented a three-year moratorium on new data centers larger than 20 megawatts.
- The proposed AI data center by Treetop Companies would span over 1 million square feet and require approximately 1 gigawatt of electrical service.
- Residents are concerned about the data center's impact on water resources, local ecosystems, electricity rates, and the town's character.
- The town's existing zoning laws did not permit large data centers prior to the moratorium.
- New York state has also enacted a one-year moratorium on hyperscale data centers.
Residents of East Fishkill, New York, a town historically linked to technological advancement through IBM's semiconductor manufacturing, are pushing back against plans for a massive AI data center. Treetop Companies is proposing a nearly 1-gigawatt facility spanning over 1 million square feet, which has ignited significant opposition.
The backlash stems from concerns over the data center's enormous consumption of electricity, water, and land, as well as its potential impact on local ecosystems, community character, and electricity rates. Despite the town's history as an "innovation hub," residents argue that the scale of this proposed AI infrastructure is unprecedented and does not offer sufficient local benefits.
In response to the growing ire, the East Fishkill town board unanimously adopted a three-year moratorium in late June, forbidding new data centers larger than 20 megawatts until July 2029. This measure allows officials time to study the potential impacts. The developer, Treetop Companies, has appealed this decision.
Adding to the local opposition, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order in July, enacting a one-year statewide pause on so-called hyperscale data centers. This move has drawn criticism from President Donald Trump, who called it a "terrible decision" and argued that data centers are crucial for job creation and state revenue.