County Democrats urge caution on data centers
- slcnydems
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
To the Editor:
How has your electric bill been compared to even a few years ago? Creeping up?
Data centers are part of the reason. According to the NY Independent System Operator
(NYISO) which manages New York’s grid and electricity markets, the “explosive growth of AI-driven energy demand” is a large factor behind rising electric bills.
This needs to be taken into account before approving data centers in St. Lawrence County,
including the expansion of NYDIG’s current Bitcoin operation. If operating as proposed, this one project would consume the equivalent of nearly 4% of all electricity used across NYS in 2024.
And that is just the first data center in Massena; several are being proposed for our county
which could total nearly 25% of NYS total 2024 electricity use.
These data centers represent an unprecedented increase in electricity demand. Without an
unprecedented increase in supply to match, that means higher utility bills for North Country
families already stretched too thin.
We support responsible economic development, but too many questions remain unanswered to call these proposals responsible. What will labor conditions be like? What kinds of long-term jobs will there be? (The Bitcoin operation promised to bring 150 jobs; it only employs around 60 today.) What are the impacts on our environment, waterway, fishing tourism, and noise levels?
What are the impacts on Akwesasne, downwind and downstream from the proposed facility?
There is too much we don’t know.
We commend the County Legislators for passing the Resolution Affirming Local Control Over Data Center Siting and for urging municipalities to pass moratoriums to allow for needed
research. We are also shocked the vote was not unanimous. Why are Legislators Lightfoot,
Reagan, and Sheridan voting in support of data centers without answers to these important
questions?
To avoid “leaping before looking,” as other states such as Texas have done with regret, we
support the one-year moratorium on data centers that NY appears poised to pass. We need this time to objectively weigh the pros and cons—not just as laid out by the industry.
The tech industry has grown fabulously wealthy on an ethos of “move fast and break things.” As we enter the AI era, St. Lawrence County needs to make sure we actually see the prosperity AI is purported to bring—and that our environment, communities, and neighbors’ budgets are not among the things broken in the process.
Let’s slow down and look before we leap.
Democratic Candidates for SLC Legislature: Adam Jarrett (District 3), Ginger Storey-Welch (District 7), Paula Sturge (District 8), Amber Spinner (District 11), Patrick Brady (District 12), Setcher Krywanczyk (District 13)
For more information, see More than 50 residents voice opposition to data center project during Massena Town Board meeting in North Country Now, May 21, 2026
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