Hawley warns of energy crisis, but doesn’t mention impact of 500-megawatt data center

Editor:

Despite profound public resistance reaching all of the way to Governor Hochul, the massive STREAM Data Center Project in the Town of Alabama continues to inch forward.

While on the state level, both the senate and legislature have introduced a bill that would enact a three-year moratorium on data center permitting (Senate Bill S-9144, Assembly Bill A-10141), state reps continue to take a “not my circus, not my monkeys” approach when asked by so many of their constituents for help. Some take even less of a stance in that they take no stance at all – refusing to publicly promote or condemn the project.

The latest example of this is State Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R), representing Assembly District 139 which includes all of Orleans and Genesee counties, and portions of Monroe and Erie counties. Just last week Mr. Hawley mailed out postcards warning of impending energy crises, rising utility bills, an unstable utility grid, and his great plan to save us all. And yet, no mention of the STREAM Data Center project.

What could be more dangerous to an already unstable grid than adding a massive Data Center that requires 500 megawatts to operate? What could cause already rising utility costs to increase even further? (cough, a 500 megawatt data center).

One way or another, we deserve to know where he stands. If he really means all that he claims on this latest postcard it would only make sense that he would also be against this project.

We’re waiting.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Thompson

Batavia