New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order on July 14 that pauses state environmental permits for new hyperscale data centers for up to one year while officials develop environmental standards, ratepayer protections, and a community investment framework.

Frederick County, Md., is pausing new applications for data center developments through Dec. 31, 2026, while officials complete a statewide study examining the environmental, energy, and economic impacts of data center growth.

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives on June 24 passed legislation that would allow municipalities to temporarily pause consideration of data center development applications while they update local land-use rules.

The New York State Assembly passed legislation this month that would place a one-year moratorium on issuing permits to data centers while the state studies their impact on communities and the environment, according to a press release from Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.

A group of House Democrats is pushing a proposal that would repeal a December executive order to preempt state artificial intelligence (AI) laws.

Oklahoma state senators will consider a proposal to ban the construction of new data centers in the state for three years and research the long-term effects that centers may have on state infrastructure and resources.  

The mayor of St. Louis, Mo., has signed an executive order to develop a framework for developing artificial intelligence data centers after previously considering a temporary ban on the development of those centers.