Some Long Island leaders are praising New York Gov. Kathy Hochul for her one-year moratorium on large-scale data centers.
She issued the moratorium this month. In the meantime, she wants state regulators to build a framework that protects the electric grid, water supply, and environment.
“We see this [AI and data centers] as an inevitability," said Kevin McDonald, Long Island policy advisor at the Nature Conservancy. "We should be as smart as we can, and as capable as we can, and as innovative as we can, to be sure that we're capturing the full breadth of the resource impact that happens to the state's extraordinary natural resources, particularly on Long Island.”
Several leaders said they’re worried AI will take away jobs, and data centers will make energy and housing more expensive, while others don't want to be left behind.
"If there's a shift into skilled trade and union labor to build these centers in the next 12 months, we want to make sure that majority-minority communities have the direct entry and apprenticeships ... to make sure that this next generation is prepared to be active in this next economy, ” said Dan Lloyd with Minority Millennials, an advocacy group based in Amityville.
Some high-profile opponents of the moratorium — like the Long Island Contractors Association — have warned that builders will leave the state, taking good-paying jobs with them.
Hochul's roundtable discussion Wednesday in Babylon included local elected officials plus representatives for farmers, the AARP, the Long Island Water Conference, and environmental groups.
