The Data Center Divide
A policy snapshot ahead of the 2026 midterms. Mapping data center incentives, restrictions, and bans through legislation, regulations, and executive actions across all 50 states and 1,462 local jurisdictions.
Town of Hamden
This restriction takes precedence while in effect. The rating below excludes temporary restrictions.
Pro-Data Center Policies
Hamden’s law is labeled enacted, though its description calls it proposed; it pauses new commercial data-center applications for 12 months, allows public-hearing exceptions, and appears not to affect existing centers.
Rating from New York statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for Town of Hamden.
current law · Town of HamdenWould impose a 12-month moratorium on the Town’s acceptance of applications to establish, locate, operate, or construct commercial data centers, including cryptocurrency-mining operations, server farms, and information-technology infrastructure, while Hamden studies their energy, environmental, visual, and community impacts and develops permanent land-use rules.Town of Hamden Local Law No. ___ of 2026, Town of Hamden Data Storage Facilities or Data Centers Moratorium Law (proposed)
What this means
The proposed measure would pause applications to build commercial data centers for 12 months, substantially delaying new projects. The town could grant exceptions after a public hearing, and the measure does not appear to stop existing centers from operating.
Timing
- Ends
- Twelve (12) months from the effective date, upon filing with the New York State Secretary of State
The moratorium applies for twelve months from its effective date. The law allows for an additional extension period, but does not state specific extension conditions.
People behind it
- Town of Hamden
Proposed the temporary commercial data center moratorium and amendments adding sign regulations to the existing site plan review law, and conducted the public hearing on the moratorium.
- Hamden Town Board
Set the public hearings, enacted the data center moratorium, and is responsible for administering variance requests.
- Hamden Town Council
Reviewed and advanced the proposed local laws and adopted the temporary moratorium on commercial data centers and revisions to the town’s site plan review law.
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- Hamden Planning Board
Responsible for drafting a local law establishing requirements for anticipated AI data centers.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements2
For 12 months from the law’s effective date, the Town will not accept applications to establish, locate, operate, or construct a commercial data center, including cryptocurrency-mining facilities, server farms, and commercial IT infrastructure.
Exceptions during the moratorium require a written variance request to the Town Clerk. The Town Board must hold a public hearing with at least five days’ notice and may grant relief only upon finding practical difficulties or extraordinary hardship, with no adverse health, safety, or welfare effects and no significant conflict with the law’s purpose; the Board must decide within 30 days after the hearing closes.
Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions1
The Town Board may grant a variance from the data center moratorium after a public hearing when strict application would cause practical difficulties or extraordinary hardship. The variance must not adversely affect public health, safety, or welfare or significantly conflict with the moratorium’s purpose. Requests must be filed in writing with the Town Clerk, publicly noticed at least five days beforehand, and decided within 30 days after the hearing closes.
Sources
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