Int 1485-2025

Be it enacted by the Council as follows: Section 1. a. Definitions. For the purposes of this local law, the following terms have the following meanings: Data center. The term "data center" means a facility that is primarily used to house operational high-density computing equipment for data storage and processing, including server racks, and graphic and tensor processing units. Director. The term "director" means the director of long-term planning and sustainability. b. Study. The director shall conduct a study on the feasibility of siting data centers in the city. Such feasibility study shall, at a minimum: 1. Identify all vacant industrial buildings, vacant land, and underutilized sites that would be suitable for the siting of data centers; 2. Evaluate the impact that such data centers would have on: (a) The city's electric grid and water supply, the goals identified in the long-term sustainability plan produced under subdivision e of section 20 of the New York city charter, and the advice and recommendations in the most recent long-term energy plan produced under subdivision d of section 3-126 of the administrative code of the city of New York; (b) Residential and commercial utility rates and charges; (c) The quality of life of persons living within a half-mile radius of each site determined to be suitable for the siting of a data center under paragraph 1 of this subdivision; and (d) The city's economy, including any impact on workforce development and employment opportunities for city residents, commercial development, and city revenues; 3. Recommend changes to local law or the New York city zoning resolution that would facilitate the development and operation of data centers in the city; and 4. Propose solutions to mitigate any negative effects of data centers identified in the study. c. Report. No later than 1 year after the effective date of this local law, the director shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council, and post on the city's website, a report on the findings and recommendations of the study required under subdivision b of this section. � 2. This local law takes effect immediately. ALK LS #20360 11/19/2025 9:54 AM 2 1