Plattsburgh, New York, is again weighing limits on energy-intensive computing operations, this time through a proposed temporary land-use moratorium that would cover both cryptocurrency mining and AI data centers.
City officials held a public hearing on the measure, which would pause approvals for certain facilities that require 300 kilowatts or more of power. As of Tuesday, Mayor Wendell Hughes had not approved the proposal, and the common council is expected to meet again on Sept. 17.
Proposal targets high-energy computing uses
The draft law discussed at Thursday’s hearing would impose a 12-month moratorium on land use tied to what it describes as “certain high energy computing facilities.” The category includes cryptocurrency mining operations and artificial intelligence data centers.
If enacted, the measure would temporarily stop approvals for qualifying projects above the 300 kW threshold. The hearing gave Mayor Hughes and members of the common council a chance to hear public comment before taking further action.
Decision remains unresolved
The proposal had not been signed off by the mayor as of Tuesday, according to reports cited in the source article. That leaves the moratorium unresolved for now rather than in force.
The next confirmed step is another council meeting scheduled for Sept. 17, when city officials are expected to continue consideration of the measure.
A city with an earlier mining ban
Plattsburgh has previously taken action against crypto mining. In 2018, it became one of the first jurisdictions in the United States to impose an outright moratorium on Bitcoin mining.
That earlier restriction lasted 18 months and was passed after residents raised concerns about electricity costs. The current proposal suggests city officials are again examining how energy-heavy computing activity fits into local land-use and power considerations.
Broader industry shift adds to the debate
The latest discussion comes as parts of the crypto mining industry have been redirecting infrastructure toward artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. According to the source article, companies have made that shift amid operating difficulties, higher electricity expenses and lower token prices.
That trend helps explain why the proposed moratorium is not limited to traditional crypto mining. Instead, it would extend to a wider group of computing facilities that share similar power demands.
For now, the only confirmed timeline is the pending Sept. 17 council meeting, where officials are set to revisit whether Plattsburgh should temporarily halt approvals for these operations.
Source: cointelegraph.com