•The Town of Manlius has approved a 12-month moratorium on new data processing centres and commercial cryptocurrency mining operations
•Local planning pauses gain traction as US towns weigh data centre impact on power grids and zoning
The fact
The Town of Manlius, New York, has unanimously approved a 12-month moratorium on new data processing centres and commercial cryptocurrency mining operations.
Town officials said the pause will allow the municipality to revise its zoning code and update its comprehensive plan before considering future developments. The review will examine how such facilities fit within the town's planning framework, including impacts on infrastructure and surrounding communities.
Town Supervisor Sara Billinger said the moratorium responds to concerns over the scale of proposed data centre development in New York and its potential effect on electricity demand and utility costs.
The assessment
The moratorium shows municipal-level planning becoming a deployment constraint for data centre projects. Rather than relying on county or state-level permits, local governments are asserting control over what can be built within their boundaries. For BTW readers, this is part of a growing pattern of US communities pushing back against hyperscale development — alongside similar pauses in other states, it signals that local zoning, not just state energy policy, can shape where and when new capacity gets built.
What to watch
Watch for the draft zoning amendments and whether Manlius defines data centres differently from commercial cryptocurrency mining. The distinction matters because states across the US are treating these two facility types under separate regulatory frameworks.