Orangetown Board approves moratorium on new data center applications
Activists say the town board should approve the ban because data centers are bad for the environment.
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The Orangetown Town Board has approved a six-month moratorium on applications for new data centers and battery energy storage systems following a public hearing that drew strong community interest and protests from residents.
Concerned residents and activists gathered outside Town Hall before the meeting to voice opposition to proposed data center development in the area, including a planned expansion by DataBank, an existing facility in Orangetown.
Community members who supported the moratorium raised concerns about potential environmental and public health impacts, including emissions, water usage and the proximity of future projects to Lake Tappan and surrounding wildlife habitats.
Town Supervisor Teresa Kenny has said the moratorium does not apply to DataBank's proposed expansion, which is already moving through the town's review process and is undergoing a full environmental impact study. That review could take six months to a year to complete.
DataBank officials have previously told News 12 the facility supports industries including healthcare and banking and plays a critical role in keeping digital services operating.
The temporary moratorium is intended to give town officials additional time to study the impacts of future data center and battery storage projects before considering new applications.
