A report deemed “misinformation” that a massive artificial intelligence data center was coming to Yaphank sparked a public backlash and led the Brookhaven Town Board to propose an 18-month moratorium on AI facilities.
Residents packed Thursday’s town board meeting to protest the possibility of such facilities being built anywhere in Brookhaven. Speakers cited concerns about environmental impacts, electric grid capacity, rising utility costs and the strain large-scale data centers could place on Long Island’s drinking water supply.
According to Supervisor Dan Panico, the town’s Industrial Development Agency and Planning Board have been instructed to refuse any AI data center proposals while officials evaluate the issue. Panico said he has been consulting with Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine on developing a regional strategy and intends to raise the matter with Suffolk County’s other nine town supervisors.
He also pushed back against reports that a data center has been formally proposed either within Brookhaven Town or at Brookhaven National Laboratory.
“The power grid belongs to all of us; water knows no geographical boundaries,” Panico said. “Long Island may just not be the region for this type of use.”
Panico argued that the power demands and environmental concerns associated with large-scale data centers require a regional and statewide response rather than a patchwork of local decisions.
Long Island already faces significant challenges related to electric generation and transmission, he noted, while residents pay some of the highest electric rates in the nation. Those costs could climb even higher if municipalities begin approving energy-intensive facilities without broader oversight.
“We face some of the highest electric rates in the nation, which could be driven higher due to the capacity needs of potential data centers if a haphazard municipal approval approach is allowed to ensue,” Panico said.
The supervisor said that Brookhaven National Laboratory was among 16 locations considered by the U.S. Department of Energy last year for a major data center project but was not selected. However, he said another entity has been working with the Long Island Power Authority and the New York Independent System Operator regarding electrical capacity requirements for a possible proposal somewhere in Brookhaven.
Panico warned that modern data centers have enormous energy requirements and require substantial cooling systems. As computer chips become smaller and more powerful, he said, the demand for electricity and water could continue to rise.
“While Hochul has asked the Public Service Commission to ensure that large data centers pay their share, it’s incumbent on the state to guarantee that safeguards are in place to protect against even higher electric costs and less available clean water for us all,” Panico said.
For many residents, the proposed pause would not go far enough.
“An 18-month moratorium is a Band-Aid; we need a full stop,” said Monique Fitzgerald of the Setalcott Nation. “We don’t need to see a data center ever.”
Yaphank resident Sonja Urrico said she fears large facilities could negatively affect both electric rates and groundwater resources. “They are going to build these things at our expense,” Urrico said. “We need to know the environmental impact, the energy impact.”
Smithtown resident Ellen Segal also urged officials to reject the projects outright. “The people are going to pay for this. AI will put people out of work,” Segal said. “The water table is bad enough to begin with. The huge amount of water these centers need will make it worse.”
Panico called on Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers to establish a regional framework before municipalities face mounting pressure to approve projects that promise significant revenue but could have lasting consequences for Long Island’s electric grid and water supply.
“Change is the law of life, and technology will advance,” Panico said. “But so must our laws and regulations.”
A public hearing on the moratorium was scheduled for July 16 at Town Hall in Farmingville starting at 5:30 p.m., according to Town Clerk Kevin LaValle.