American politician and administrator
Governor Kathy Hochul has signed an executive order imposing a one-year statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centres that use 50 megawatts or more, directing regulators to complete an environmental impact review and consider rules to make developers pay for power, contribute to grid upgrades and lose tax breaks. The move has drawn praise from community and environmental groups and rebuke from industry and national conservatives.
The White House has expanded a nonbinding Ratepayer Protection Pledge to include nearly 200 additional utilities, governors and data‑center developers, and President Trump has urged local leaders to welcome data centers as economic opportunities. Critics say the pledge lacks enforcement and will not prevent rising electricity bills as AI-related power demand grows.
Four US-based rights organisations have filed a federal lawsuit in New York challenging last year’s executive order that authorised US sanctions on International Criminal Court judges, prosecutors and groups that cooperate with the court. The complaint has argued the measures have forced them to curtail work, violated constitutional rights and unlawfully interfered with international justice.
Amazon has confirmed plans for an on-site natural gas power plant to power a Pecos County data center campus. The plant would emit up to 33 million tons of CO2 annually and is positioned as a path to faster deployment and potential future grid connections, though critics warn it could become the largest climate pollution source in the U.S.
A MAHA-backed letter to Trump, Kennedy and cabinet officials has voiced health-first concerns about coal-powered data centers and urged a shift toward solar, geothermal, and efficiency. The move signals growing friction between MAHA activists and the administration as data centers draw increasing scrutiny.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has discussed housing, immigration and affordability with Jared Kushner in a private meeting, prompting questions about strategy and the left’s expectations as Democrats prepare for a potential return to the House. The talk highlights tensions over healthcare policy and party unity ahead of a possible midterm shift.
The EPA has rolled back Biden-era power-plant emissions rules as part of a broader deregulatory push. The move, announced at a G20 energy ministers meeting, removes requirements for fossil-fuel plants to install emissions-control technologies and could reshape the nation’s emissions trajectory.
The Environmental Protection Agency has repealed most of the Biden-era carbon-pollution standards for power plants and is proposing to eliminate remaining greenhouse-gas rules for the sector. The agency argues the rules exceed its authority under the Clean Air Act and would not meaningfully curb emissions. The move follows a broader push by the Trump administration to unleash American energy and roll back climate regulations.
The EPA has rolled back 2024 carbon-pollution standards for power plants, arguing a non-endangerment stance and seeking to ease industry regulation. The move follows a broader pattern of deregulatory climate steps and faces criticism over health, cost, and long-term emissions impacts.
Save the Sound’s 2026 Long Island Sound Report Card shows water quality improving across open-water regions: Western, Central and Eastern basins earn A grades, Eastern Narrows B, Western Narrows rises to D. Report cites billions invested in wastewater/stormwater upgrades and warns climate change risks remain.
The Trump campaign plans an Oct. 9 event in Syracuse to boost Republican turnout as Hochul faces a tight race in New York. The state party and allied groups are pouring money into ads and groundwork, while Democrats look to shore up support and push back on Republican advantages in registration and sentiment.