Hochul Halts Data Centers for a Year | Albany News

Governor Kathy Hochul just paused new data center construction statewide — the first move of its kind — targeting projects needing over 50 megawatts, to assess environmental impact and ensure tech giants reinvest in local communities. She framed it as smart, forward-thinking policy, not anti-AI, drawing from her Buffalo roots and warning against repeating past industrial harms. While some lawmakers and local governments back the pause, critics like Trump call it a “terrible decision,” labeling data centers “money machines.” Labor unions are frustrated, with hundreds of promised jobs now on hold, but Hochul counters by pointing to other major projects like the semiconductor factory, promising broader job ecosystems and assuring workers that long-term opportunities are still on the horizon. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/4b350c788a951446