NY bans new data centers for a year — will it crush AI's power supply?

new york lawmakers approved a one-year moratorium on new large-scale data centers, defined as those with a peak demand of 20 megawatts or more, to analyze their strain on the state's power grid and natural resources. the bill mandates that companies fund public hearings and directs the department of environmental conservation to assess pollution, electricity, and water usage before new projects proceed. this legislative pause directly responds to the 24 proposals currently under review in the state, which represent over 9,000 megawatts of capacity largely sought by ai firms. industry advocates warn that a blanket ban could damage economic growth, but the measure reflects growing local opposition to energy-hungry computing facilities. governor kathy hochul has until december to decide whether to sign the bill into law, which could set a precedent for state-level control over ai infrastructure.