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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Anthony Izaguirre

Hochul risks Trump’s fury as she signs nation’s first data center moratorium

An aerial view of a 49.5 megawatt three-level data center under construction on July 8, 2026 in Vernon, California - (Getty Images)

New York has enacted a year-long moratorium on large data center construction, aiming to protect the state's environment and energy grid from the power-intensive demands of artificial intelligence.

Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order Tuesday, establishing the country's first statewide pause on hyperscale data centers, facilities housing thousands of computer servers and requiring massive energy and water for cooling.

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