NYS Legislative Commission on Rural Resources

10/09/2026

Rural communities in states across the country are being subjected to the whims of data center developers, who are taking advantage of lax zoning regulations and even taking local governments to court when they try to resist a project; often this happens with the details of a project remaining hidden from the public, who are worried about environmental impacts and frustrated by being ignored in the process.

In New York State, Governor Kathy Hochul instituted the nation's first data center moratorium to temporarily halt the development of large data centers and to give us time to study their impacts on water, emissions, and our electrical grid.

And recently we introduced a bill (S.10708--check the comments) that would ban data center developers from concealing a project's details from the public in order to create more transparency.

We've seen what happens when tech developers use their endless resources to overwhelm rural communities, and we won't let that happen in New York State.

An investigation across five states finds companies using lawsuits, payouts and gaps in local zoning rules to overcome local resistance.

10/06/2026

This past Monday we took a Rural Resources field trip where NYS Senator Rachel May, Assemblymember Anna Kelles, and Executive Director Corey Mosher got a firsthand look at the native seed supply in the Finger Lakes. We learned how native seeds are harvested, cleaned, and made available for use through the supply chain.

Thank you to Finger Lakes Land Trust, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Seed Bank, and Go Native! Perennials in Elbridge for making this day possible!

10/01/2026

In the current data center landscape, developers are permitted to enter into non-disclosure agreements with municipalities to conceal the terms of a development. This leaves other municipalities in the dark as to what they may be entitled to as far as benefits--at a time when they may not have the staffing or resources to negotiate effectively with major tech players.

As a result, we've just introduced a bill to ban these NDAs, which would allow more transparency in the process and help municipalities get all that they are entitled to if they agree to host a data center.

Prohibits municipal corporations from entering into a contract or other agreement that has the purpose or effect of concealing the details of the development of a data center from the public or preventing public review of a data center; prohibits data centers from entering into a contract or other a...

09/29/2026

Great story out of Essex County!

"One-third of the food produced in Essex County’s 244 farms—meat, dairy and vegetables—goes straight to customers through CSA shares, farmers markets, on-farm stores and online orders.

Much of those sales take place in the region, meaning the food produced here is staying here.

In the fields and pastures of local farms, this 'untold story' is playing a vital role in the region’s economic stability and rural vitality, providing healthy food; personal and professional values; and ways of relating to the land and community in a way that harken back to a century ago."

Read more here:

Essex County has the second-highest percentage of direct sales from farms to customers, with many sales taking place within the region.

09/21/2026

We spent last Wednesday at the Hyde Collection in Glens Falls where the Adirondack Research Consortium put together a day of programming to discuss the role of AI in rural areas.

It was a really informative day that offered some promise and critical considerations as the technology advances. This is something we look forward to grappling with in the next legislative session!

09/09/2026

Yesterday we traveled to Cortlandt Manor to visit Hemlock Hill Farm with Senator Pete Harckham.

Hemlock Hill received a NYS Grown and Certified Infrastructure and Technology Grant. Administered by NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and New York Farm Viability Institute, the grant allows farms to continue their ability to access markets and expand their contribution to the region’s food system.

Thank you to the entire Hemlock Hill team for the warm welcome and for showing us around your facilities. We appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the work you are doing to connect New Yorkers with locally grown food.

08/24/2026

EMS has been one of our priorities for years now, so we were honored to be invited last Wednesday to Assembly Member Paula Elaine Kay's Rural EMS Legislative Tour in Sullivan County.

We toured multiple facilities and had great conversations about ways that we can support EMS agencies to improve recruitment and retention, reduce response times, and bolster the system as a whole.

We look forward to getting to work, and thank you to Assembly Member Paula Elaine Kay for the invite!

08/11/2026

The deadline for tariff relief applications has been extended for one more week. Eligible farmers now have until August 18 to apply.

For more information, visit https://agriculture.ny.gov/agricultural-resiliency-against-tariffs-program.

New York farmers can start submitting applications for up to $25,000 in relief from the state as part of a $30 million aid effort aimed ​at easing the hit to farmers from Republican U.S. President Donald Trump's ‌tariffs, Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul said on Monday.

07/14/2026

Proud to see Governor Kathy Hochul step up to implement the nation's first statewide moratorium on hyperscale data centers while we take the time to study their impacts on our water supply, air quality, and utility bills.

The governor's executive order will bypass legislation that had proposed more restrictive measures on data centers that use large amounts of energy.

06/30/2026

Eligible New York State farmers (including dairy farmers and those working with livestock, specialty crops, and aquaculture) can now apply for payments between $1,000 and $25,000 to help offset increased prices due to tariffs!

The funding comes from a $30 million allocation in this year's State Budget. Read more below!

New York farmers can start submitting applications for up to $25,000 in relief from the state as part of a $30 million aid effort aimed ​at easing the hit to farmers from Republican U.S. President Donald Trump's ‌tariffs, Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul said on Monday.