New Yorker state lawmakers have introduces a bill which will impose a moratorium of at least three years on permits tied to the construction and operation of new data centers. While the prospects of the bill are uncertain, Wired reports New York is at least the sixth state to consider halting construction of new data centers.

As the tech companies plan spending an ever-increasing amount of money to build AI infrastructure, Democrats and Republicans have expressed concerns about the impact data centers could have on surrounding communities. Studies also link data centers to rising household electricity bills.

Critics include progressive Senator Bernie Sanders, who has called for a national moratoriumas well as conservative Florida Governor Ron De Santis, who said data centers will lead to “higher energy bills so some chatbot can harm some 13-year-old online.”

More than 230 environmental groups including Food & Water Watch, Friends of the Earth, and Greenpeace recently signed an open letter to Congress called for a national moratorium on the construction of new data centers.

Eric Weltman of Food & Water Watch told Wired that the New York bill — sponsored by state senator Liz Krueger and assembly member Anna Kelles, both Democrats — was “our idea.” Data center shutdowns have also been proposed by Democrats in Georgia, Vermont, and Virginia, while Republicans are sponsoring similar bills in Maryland and Oklahoma.

According to PoliticoKrueger described his state as “completely unprepared” for the “big data centers” that are “shooting for New York.”

“It’s time to hit the pause button, give ourselves some breathing room to adopt strong data center policies, and avoid getting caught in a bubble that will burst and leave New York utility customers with huge bills,” he said.

Last month, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a new initiative called Energize NY Development, which his office says will both modernize the way large energy users (ie, data centers) connect to the grid while also asking them to “pay their fair share.”