Plattsburgh Considers Temporary Ban on Crypto Mining and AI Data Centers
The town of Plattsburgh in New York state is considering imposing a temporary ban on operations that include crypto mining and AI data centers. A public hearing was held to discuss the proposal, which would halt approvals for land use related to 'certain high energy computing facilities' requiring over 300 kilowatts (kW) for 12 months.
The moratorium is in response to residents' concerns about the cost of electricity. Plattsburgh was one of the first jurisdictions in the United States to outright ban Bitcoin mining, which lasted 18 months and expired in 2018. Many crypto mining companies have shifted their focus to AI and high-performance computing due to rising power costs and falling token prices.
The council will hold another meeting on September 17 to discuss the proposal further. As of Tuesday, reports indicated that the mayor had not approved the moratorium.