Plattsburgh Weighs Temporary Ban on Crypto Mining, AI Data Centers

The town of Plattsburgh in New York state is considering a temporary ban on land use for certain high-energy computing facilities, including cryptocurrency mining and AI data centers. A public hearing was held to discuss the proposal, which would halt approvals for operations requiring over 300 kilowatts (kW) of power for 12 months.

The town has a history with crypto mining, having been one of the first jurisdictions in the US to ban Bitcoin (BTC) mining back in 2018. The previous moratorium lasted 18 months and was implemented due to resident concerns about electricity costs.

Many crypto mining companies have shifted their focus from BTC mining to AI and high-performance computing amid rising power costs and falling token prices.