Key facts
- Plattsburgh, New York, is considering a temporary land use moratorium for high-energy computing facilities.
- The proposed ban would cover cryptocurrency mining and artificial intelligence data centers.
- Operations requiring 300 kilowatts or more would be subject to the moratorium.
- The moratorium, if passed, would last for 12 months.
- Plattsburgh previously enacted an 18-month ban on Bitcoin mining in 2018.
The town of Plattsburgh, New York, is contemplating a temporary land use moratorium that would extend to artificial intelligence data centers and cryptocurrency mining operations. During a public hearing held on Thursday, Mayor Wendell Hughes and the common council heard proposals for a law that would impose a short-term ban on land use for "certain high energy computing facilities." If enacted, the moratorium would halt approvals for any operation requiring 300 or more kilowatts of power for a period of 12 months. Plattsburgh was among the first U.S. jurisdictions to implement an 18-month ban on Bitcoin mining in 2018, driven by resident concerns over electricity costs. Many cryptocurrency mining companies are reportedly shifting focus to AI and high-performance computing due to challenges such as rising power expenses and declining token prices. As of Tuesday, the mayor had not yet approved the moratorium, with the council scheduled for another meeting on September 17.