New York Governor Kathy Hochul plans to sign an executive order on Tuesday to temporarily halt the construction of large data centers in the state. The ban, effective immediately, will last up to one year and applies to data centers with a power usage of 50 megawatts or more. This pause aims to provide time for the state to develop regulations that balance environmental concerns with grid reliability. New York is the first state to implement such a measure, although numerous local governments across the U.S. have issued temporary bans on data center construction. The move comes amid growing opposition to data centers, which critics argue could strain local power supplies and increase utility costs.