Albany – Senator Liz Krueger and Assemblymember Anna Kelles, joined by 54 other legislators, released a letter today calling on Governor Kathy Hochul and Public Service Commission Chair Rory Christian to extend the deadline to accept public comments on the Draft Scoping Document for the Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) on data center development, and to organize public hearings across the state, as laid out in the Responsible Data Center Development Act passed by the Legislature in June. The current 30-day comment period ends on October 20th. The letter can by viewed here.

"New Yorkers have made it very clear that they have significant concerns about new data center development in our state, concerns that include rising energy prices, but also impacts on water, air, and soil health, noise pollution, and community character, among many others," said Senator Krueger. "Yet if you ask the average New Yorker whether they know they can comment on the Public Service Commission's Draft Scoping Document for the Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Large Load Interconnection, they'll look at you like you have three heads. This is a critical process that impacts the lives of every New Yorker. It must not be rushed, and there must be an effort to enable and encourage real public input."

“This scoping document will set the framework for the entire GEIS: what information the State evaluates and what findings it provides to help communities understand the consequences of data center development. The projects now being proposed across New York could significantly affect energy costs, water supplies, air quality, farmland, public health and the character of our communities. New Yorkers need time to fully review the draft and provide feedback to the State on what this review should examine,” said Assemblymember Anna Kelles. “A 30-day comment period, with no public hearings, does not give people across the state a meaningful opportunity to shape the review. Once the scope is finalized, questions left out may never receive the scrutiny they deserve.”

As part of her Executive Order 62, issued in July, Governor Hochul initiated a GEIS process through the Department of Public Service as part of the Department's ongoing Large Load proceeding. The first step in that process, the Draft Scoping Document, was released on September 18th, with a 30-day comment period that ends October 20th. The Scoping Document, when finalized, will outline what the Department will and won't include in the GEIS process. Anything that is not included in the scoping document cannot be part of the GEIS investigation.

The lawmakers' letter asks that the comment period be extended to 120 days total, and also requests five public hearings, which better aligns with the requirements of the Responsible Data Center Development Act, the omnibus bill that was passed at the end of the legislative session in June.