Town of Oneonta Moves Toward Data Center Ban

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Oneonta Town Hall at 3966 State Highway 23 was the site of the Legislative Committee meeting on Monday, March 2. (Photo by Julia DelPozzo)

By JOSHUA YOUNGQUIST
SUNY Institute for Local News
ONEONTA

A proposal to build a data center in the Town of Oneonta has prompted swift action from the town government, with officials signaling during the Monday, March 2 Legislative Committee meeting that they want to change zoning laws before the issue escalates into a drawn-out battle.

Rather than wait for the Eco-Yotta Inc. rezoning application to move forward, board members are considering amending zoning regulations to prohibit large-scale data centers except in cases tied directly to academic, medical or similar institutional needs.

Across the country, data centers have drawn scrutiny for their environmental footprint.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, data centers account for roughly 2 percent of total U.S. electricity consumption—a number expected to rise as artificial intelligence and cloud computing expand. A single large facility can consume as much electricity as tens of thousands of homes and require millions of gallons of water annually for cooling systems. Communities in states like Virginia and Texas have reported increased strain on local power grids, rising utility costs, and persistent noise from cooling equipment and backup generators.

At the town’s monthly Legislative Committee meeting, officials made clear they want to avoid those outcomes.

Town Board member Teresa DeSantis and Deputy Supervisor Patricia Riddell Kent mentioned the topic of a moratorium to allow time for study and public comment. However, other board members suggested the town may already have enough information to act decisively.

Debate around the rezoning application for Eco-Yotta Inc.’s property at 357 County Highway 9 has dominated the town’s…

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