‘This is not an anti-tech town’: backlash to datacenter in city once home to IBM
Fight in East Fishkill, New York, part of a growing divide over whether AI benefits outweigh enormous downsides For decades, East Fishkill helped build New York’s tech industry. The hamlet, located 70 miles north of New York City, was home to a 460-acre campus where IBM researched and manufactured semiconductor chips for nearly fifty years. Continue reading...
In East Fishkill, New York, residents are protesting the construction of a massive AI datacenter that would span over 1 million square feet and generate up to 1 gigawatt of power. The town, once a hub for IBM's semiconductor research and manufacturing, has a long history of embracing technological advancements. However, the proposed datacenter has sparked a fierce backlash, with opposition mounting before any permits were even applied for.
The developer behind the project, Treetop Companies, purchased property in East Fishkill intending to pursue approvals for a warehouse development. It was only later discovered that the company, through a local property owner, had submitted an application to the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) for the necessary electrical service to support a large-scale AI datacenter.
Residents expressed their concerns over the town's inability to review or reject any datacenter applications due to the absence of a formal permit. While the town's existing zoning laws do not permit large data centers, a three-year moratorium was imposed in late June to allow for further study and discussion on the potential impacts on water resources and local ecosystems. This moratorium was unanimously adopted by the town board.
The developer has since appealed the measure, arguing that the town needs to consider the long-term benefits of AI infrastructure. However, residents emphasize that their opposition is not anti-tech; instead, it is directed at the unprecedented scale of the proposed facility. They question whether the economic benefits would justify the significant consumption of electricity, water, and land required for such a large datacenter.
The controversy has highlighted a growing divide across the nation, as both rural towns and communities that once welcomed high-tech development are increasingly questioning the value of AI infrastructure. While acknowledging the potential benefits of technology, residents in East Fishkill are determined to protect their community's character, environmental quality, and long-term cohesiveness from the massive energy demands of a single datacenter.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian US's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
