Senator May voted for the Responsible Data Center Development Act, which includes a one-year statewide moratorium on new data centers, stating that the proposed 300-megawatt facility in Lysander demonstrates why New York must pause these massive projects until stronger statewide protections to help local governments and residents are in place. The data center proposal in Lysander recently prompted the Town Board to adopt a six-month moratorium of its own while officials evaluate the proposal's potential impacts on local infrastructure and energy demand.

"We're putting communities ahead of corporate profits. We're not letting data center developers steamroll local governments and leave them to deal with the energy costs, infrastructure demands, and long-term impacts of projects on this scale. With this legislation, we're hitting pause, establishing clear rules, and making sure residents come first," said Senator May.

The legislation establishes standards and greater accountability for data center developers, giving local governments the tools they need to evaluate projects before they place new demands on infrastructure, increase energy consumption, and affect quality of life. The bill passed both the Senate and Assembly last week.