Tag

Moratorium

All articles tagged with #moratorium

politics16 days ago•8 min saved

Lawmakers clash over data center energy costs and a nationwide moratorium

A House panel advanced data center legislation but deep divisions over a nationwide moratorium on new data centers threaten momentum; Pallone and Castor push for stronger federal action while Guthrie warns it could slow AI progress, and Senate leaders are divided about moving forward. The Ratepayer Protection Act passed by voice vote, but broader energy and grid bills face an uphill battle as lawmakers weigh who should cover new generation and transmission costs.

via Politico|

#congress #data-center #energy-policy

technology1 month ago•2 min saved

Seattle imposes year-long halt on new AI datacenters to shape regulations

Seattle City Council unanimously approved a year-long moratorium on building new AI-focused datacenters, with an amendment allowing existing centers to expand up to 20 MW during the pause. The goal is to study electricity use and urban-land implications and potentially require conditions such as transit and housing investments for permits. Activists worry the measure won’t curb power demand and could spur other centers to push for expansions, while officials push for broader state regulation in the next legislative session amid regional scrutiny of AI infrastructure and jobs.

via The Guardian|

#ai #datacenters #moratorium

politics1 month ago•4 min saved

New York moves to pause hyperscale datacenters to shield communities and grid

New York lawmakers advanced a one-year moratorium on hyperscale datacenters over 20MW, with an environmental impact report and safeguards for energy use and ratepayers, sending the bill to Governor Hochul for signature amid a nationwide backlash over AI infrastructure.

via The Guardian|

#ai #datacenters #energy-grid

technology1 month ago•2 min saved

New York mulls a one-year halt on new data centers amid AI expansion

New York lawmakers have proposed a one-year moratorium on building new large data centers (20 MW+), a framework designed to pause AI infrastructure while the state weighs environmental, energy-price, and local-job impacts; if enacted, the bill would require public hearings for major projects and remains under consideration by Governor Hochul, who has not yet signed it. Critics warn a blanket pause could damage the economy, while supporters call for a case-by-case review, and public sentiment toward data centers has grown increasingly negative.

via Mashable|

#artificial-intelligence #data-centers #legislation

technology1 month ago•6 min saved

Seattle Pauses Datacenters to Craft AI Rules and Utility Standards

Seattle’s city council committees approved a year-long moratorium on new datacenters to study impacts and draft regulations for the AI industry, including energy use, land use, labor standards, and potential public-benefit requirements, while exploring separate rates for large-load customers; the move aims to protect residents from costs and environmental harms and could set a regional precedent as tech workers and activists back the pause.

via The Guardian|

#ai #datacenters #electricity

energy1 month ago•82 min saved

Hood County's data-center boom tests Texas regulatory reach

Eight proposed data centers in Hood County could strain local water and power supplies, while residents push back and officials grapple with limited authority to pause or block them amid lawsuits and a broader state policy debate; neighboring Hill County has already enacted a one-year pause, signaling a statewide regulatory crunch as Texas races to keep up with hyperscale infrastructure.

via The Texas Tribune|

#data-centers #energy #energy-demand

state-politics1 month ago•6 min saved

New York eyes year-long pause on giant data centers

The New York Legislature appears poised to pass a one-year moratorium on new large-scale data centers (over 20 MW), halting DEC permits while regulators develop guardrails and rate protections. If Gov. Hochul signs, New York could become the first state with a statewide data-center ban. The bill, S10642/A11560, would give time to craft energy rules to protect the grid and ratepayers, and includes a new rate, energy efficiency mandates, renewable requirements, and labor standards. Opponents from tech and business groups warn the measure could stunt economic development; lawmakers plan votes this week before leaving Albany, with Hochul's stance still under review.

via Politico|

#data-centers #electricity-rates #energy-policy

politics1 month ago•8 min saved

Hill County freezes data center growth with one-year moratorium

Hill County, Texas’s commissioners voted 3-2 to impose a yearlong moratorium on data center and related power plant construction in unincorporated areas to slow rapid development and give lawmakers time to address concerns over water use, electric grid strain, and impacts on landowners, amid opposition from residents and threats of lawsuits from developers.

via Politico|

#data-centers #hill-county #moratorium

world1 month ago•4 min saved

Trump hints at a 20-year pause as Iran talks shift gears

President Trump indicated a 20-year moratorium on Iran’s nuclear program could be enough to seal a deal and end the war, marking a shift from his earlier stance that Iran should never enrich. He criticized Iran’s latest offer as insufficient, stressing that any guarantee must be stronger and that a deal should not require surrender. The remarks come amid ongoing behind-the-scenes talks and a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire framework, as Washington presses Tehran to surrender its nuclear material; Iran reportedly retains a stockpile of enriched uranium. No final agreement has been reached.

via Politico|

#diplomacy #iran #moratorium

politics2 months ago•3 min saved

Maine Governor Vetoes Data-Center Moratorium Over Jay Project Exemption

Governor Janet Mills vetoed an 18‑month moratorium on large data centers after lawmakers passed the bill, saying she wants to study AI impacts but citing the Jay, Maine project—already under contract and permits—that would create about 800 construction jobs and at least 100 permanent jobs plus substantial local tax revenue, and should be allowed to proceed.

via NBC News|

#data-centers #janet-mills #maine

world2 months ago•3 min saved

U.S. seeks 20-year freeze on Iran uranium enrichment in talks

In Islamabad over the weekend, the U.S. floated a 20-year moratorium on Iran’s uranium enrichment, while Tehran offered a much shorter window; mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey are trying to bridge the gap as negotiators race to seal a ceasefire deal, with no agreement yet and ongoing exchanges about removing or down-blending enriched material.

via Axios|

#iran #mediators #moratorium

policy3 months ago•7 min saved

Maine Poised to Pause AI Data Centers as Other States' Efforts Stall

Maine is poised to become the first state to enact a temporary moratorium on AI data-center construction (until November 1, 2027), a move not guaranteed as the governor could veto; 11 other states have proposed similar bans this year but most haven’t advanced, and localities have begun enacting their own pauses while a federal pause proposal from Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez remains under consideration.

via Business Insider|

#data-centers #electricity #legislation

politics3 months ago•16 min saved

Sanders and AOC Rally for Federal Moratorium on AI Data Centers

U.S. lawmakers Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez unveiled bills to impose an immediate federal moratorium on AI data-center construction until comprehensive safeguards protect health, privacy, workers’ rights, and the environment, with Sanders leading the Senate effort and Ocasio-Cortez preparing a House counterpart to slow AI development and push for nationwide regulation.

via Rolling Stone|

#ai-regulation #alexandriaocasi-cortez #berniesanders

politics3 months ago•6 min saved

Lawmakers push pause on AI datacenters to craft safeguards and shield communities

Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez unveiled a bill to ban new AI datacenter construction until comprehensive federal safeguards are in place, citing climate, energy costs, privacy and worker impacts; the proposal would also bar the export of AI hardware to countries without protections, with a House companion bill to follow. The move follows growing public concern and local moratoria, though passage in a polarized Congress remains uncertain.

via The Guardian|

#ai-datacenters #environmental-impact #moratorium

politics3 months ago•15 min saved

Progressives push moratorium on AI data centers with new bill

Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez unveiled the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act to pause new or expanded AI data centers while evaluating energy use, environmental impact and local effects, a proposal underscored by images of facilities like Google's Georgia data center.

via AP News|

#ai-data-centers #legislation #moratorium