Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper

THANK YOU, Kathy Hochul for signing an executive order pausing any new AI data centers in New York for one year. This necessary pause will give the state time to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the data centers known and suspected negative environmental and economic impacts, and our communities time to ensure their air, water, lands, and utility costs are protected. The data centers’ consumptive use of water for cooling and processing, along with water discharges to freshwater resources, raises serious concerns for aquatic ecosystems and long-term water availability. The localized land use, air and waste impacts already being seen only further accentuates the need for a careful, statewide evaluation before additional facilities are considered or approved.

New York becomes the first state to impose a data center moratorium New York became the first U.S. state on Tuesday to halt construction ​of large new data centers, imposing a one-year moratorium as concerns grow that the facilities driving the artificial-intelligence boom are raising power costs, straining water ‌supplies and burdening local communities.

With the annual Give 716 campaign starting this week, we are excited to share that we have a $5,000 matching grant from our board of directors!

That means every dollar you give during the campaign will be matched up to $5,000! Your gift today will go twice as far to protect clean water, restore critical habitats, and fight for a healthier environment across Western New York.

With only 2% of U.S. philanthropy going to environmental causes, your support is more important than ever.

https://give716.org/give/give716/give716/2026-give-716/charities/buffalo-niagara-waterkeeper