Albany, NY – Yesterday Governor Kathy Hochul announced a Community Investment Framework for data centers that would establish a community investment benchmark of $1 million for every megawatt of utility demand associated with a data center project. The framework encourages local communities to negotiate benefits exchanges with major tech companies and data center developers. This comes as a follow to the governor’s executive order declaring a one-year moratorium on large-scale data centers, those exceeding 50 megawatts.

Gov. Hochul is putting the cart before the horse, completing the framework before conducting a comprehensive assessment of the impacts data centers have on our health, communities, and environment. 

Prior to the governor’s announcement, nearly 100 groups sent a letter to Hochul, opposing her efforts to release a Community Investment Framework in advance of an actual environmental analysis from the state. The letter also demanded public hearings and public education events.

In response, Food & Water Watch’s Senior Strategist and Organizer Eric Weltman issued the following statement:

“The message we’ve heard from New Yorkers across the state has been consistent, loud, and very clear: Keep data centers out of our communities and out of our state. No amount of bribe money could compensate for the damage caused by data centers to quality of life, the impacts on health and communities, and soaring utility bills. This is a message we are hearing from across the political spectrum and in every kind of community: rural, suburban, and in cities. It’s particularly absurd that the governor would attempt to put a price on the appropriate costs communities will suffer from data centers before the environmental review required with her moratorium is even completed.”

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