Why Buffalo has a two year data center moratorium

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN).....The Buffalo Common Council has taken the first - and expected step - towards creating a two year moratorium on data center development projects within the city.

Next up: A local law, crafted by the city's Corporation Counsel office, that prevents any new data center construction and development while the moratorium is in place. That law is expected to be before the council by early October, with a formal vote to follow.

Buffalo is now joined the growing list of municipalities and larger governments that have hot the pause button when it comes to data center development.

Mayor Sean Ryan said he supports the council vote.

"We need clear safeguards that put Buffalo residents first," Ryan said.

New York, this summer, at the urging of Gov. Kathy Hochul put a one-year moratorium on data center developments.

The Buffalo data center ordinance will be created by a nine--person task force that includes public and private sector interests.

"There is a lot of misinformation on both sides," said Ellicott District Councilwoman and Council Majority Leader Leah Halton-Pope. "Hopefully, the task force cam work its way through all that."

The moratorium was crafted by North District Councilman Joseph Golembek Jr., who said he has concerns about projects that may be developed near residential neighborhoods.

"It could destroy a neighborhood's quality of life," Golembek said.

Data centers are coming under fire - mostly for environmental reasons including noise, heavy drains on power supplies and on water supplies.

When Buffalo developed its Green Code development blueprint a decade ago, data centers did not figure into economic landscape.

Golembek said he hopes the moratorium will address that development void.

"Just like what we did 15 years ago with food truck regulations, we want to address this new form of development," Golembek said. "My sole mission is to protect the interests of the residents of the City of Buffalo."