New York town weighs crypto mining and AI data center ban

One of the first towns in the US to ban Bitcoin mining for 18 months is considering another temporary moratorium extending to data centers and other crypto mining operations.

The town of Plattsburgh in New York state held a public hearing to discuss a temporary land use moratorium for operations including AI data centers and crypto mining.

In a Thursday hearing, Plattsburgh Mayor Wendell Hughes and the common council heard from members of the public about a law proposed to impose a short-term ban on land use related to “certain high energy computing facilities,” including cryptocurrency mining and artificial intelligence. The moratorium, if passed, would halt approvals for operations requiring 300 or more kilowatts (kW) for 12 months.

As of Tuesday, reports signaled that the mayor had not approved the moratorium. The council is scheduled to hold another meeting on Sept. 17.

Read more