Residents, environmental groups urge moratorium over water, noise and equity concerns

Residents and environmental advocates told the committee that large data centers pose local water, noise and environmental-justice risks and urged a two-year moratorium to allow local rules to be written.

"So in city of Buffalo, like, that would be like having conversations with folks like, do we want a ban? Do we want regulations?" said Bridge Rauch, an organizer with the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York, arguing that moratoria provide time for municipalities to set standards. Evelyn Wackett, a resident of BlackRock, described worries about wastewater and chemicals, saying closed-loop cooling systems "still use water" and can include "anti corrosives, anti, antifreeze, biocides, and other PFAS chemicals."

Doctor Majadi Babutti of Push Buffalo framed the issue as one of environmental justice, saying past planning decisions had sacrificed neighborhoods of color and that the moratorium is "a moral floor." Speakers repeatedly asked who would pay the long-term costs to health and infrastructure if facilities were allowed to proceed before the city set local protections.