New York has enacted a statewide moratorium on large data centre construction, making it the first US state to do so. Governor Hochul signed an executive order immediately halting environmental permits for facilities consuming more than 50 megawatts of electricity, giving state officials time to establish new regulatory standards addressing grid stability, environmental protection, and community benefits. Projects already holding permits remain unaffected by the restriction.

The executive order represents a policy reversal for Hochul, who had previously advocated for local-level data centre regulation and expressed support for the sector as an economic opportunity. Public concerns about rising electricity bills and resource depletion, amplified ahead of local elections, prompted the change in course. A separate legislative bill that would impose longer-term restrictions and energy efficiency requirements still awaits her signature, whilst similar regulatory efforts advance in multiple other states, including Maine, where a comparable moratorium was recently vetoed.