Global Data Center Development Faces Local Pushback as Moratoriums and New Plans Emerge

The town of East Fishkill, New York, voted on June 25, 2026, to impose a three-year moratorium on data center development, effectively blocking a planned 1.16 million sq ft campus proposed by developer Treetop Companies. The moratorium runs through July 1, 2029, unless a data center is ancillary to an existing use and under 20MW or qualifies for an Economic Development Special Permit.

The Treetop proposal, which never received a formal application, would have been located south of Old State Road and Interstate 52. Town Supervisor Nick D'Alessandro stated on Facebook that data centers are not even listed as a permissible use in the town's industrial zones, making the moratorium a proactive step to allow further study and community discussion.

New Projects Advance in Wales, Australia, Michigan, and Germany

While East Fishkill halts development, other regions see new proposals. In Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, a data center plan is now open for public consultation. In Australia, a former aluminum smelter site is being targeted for a 540MW data center development, leveraging proximity to the 660MW Kurri Kurri Power Station. In Michigan, an unnamed tech firm seeks to build an approximately 800-acre data center campus in Solon Township outside Grand Rapids. In Philippsburg, Germany, the Wirth Group has announced plans for a hyperscale data center and is currently seeking German co-investors.

• East Fishkill moratorium: 3 years, blocks 1.16 million sq ft Treetop proposal.
• Wales: Public consultation open for Rhondda Cynon Taf data center.
• Australia: 540MW project on former aluminum smelter site near 660MW power station.
• Michigan: Unnamed firm plans ~800-acre campus in Solon Township.
• Germany: Wirth Group hyperscale data center in Philippsburg seeking co-investors.

Local Resistance Reflects Broader Tensions

The East Fishkill moratorium highlights growing local resistance to data center development, driven by concerns over power consumption, water use, and community impact. New York State's data centers are mostly clustered in New York City and Buffalo, with smaller hubs in Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany. East Fishkill, in Dutchess County, is not a traditional data center hub, and the moratorium gives the town time to study zoning and infrastructure needs.

Treetop Companies, a real estate firm with interests in industrial, residential, and leisure properties, has unclear prior experience with data center projects. DCD has reached out for comment. The moratorium may set a precedent for other towns facing similar proposals, as data center demand continues to surge globally but local communities push back on rapid development.

What comes next: East Fishkill will use the three-year window to study data center impacts and potentially revise zoning. Meanwhile, projects in Wales, Australia, Michigan, and Germany will proceed through their own approval processes, offering a contrast in how different regions balance economic opportunity with local concerns.