New York lobbyists and their clients reported $64.5 million in spending to influence state and local officials in July and August, according to preliminary figures released by the New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government. Lobbyist compensation accounted for $58.8 million. The total was 11.2% below the $72.6 million reported for May and June, but 4.1% above the $62 million reported for July and August 2025, according to the preliminary report and NEWS10 ABC.
The two companion bills associated with the Responsible Data Center Development Act, S10642 and A11560, drew 101 lobbying filings combined—the most of any legislation tracked during the period, according to the preliminary report. The Commission’s May–June report had already placed data-center-related bills among that period’s 10 most-lobbied bills, though budget bills made up seven of the top 10. The July–August filings therefore mark a continued appearance for the issue, not evidence by themselves of how lawmakers or regulators will decide it.
Filings reflect a policy dispute, not project approvals
NEWS10 ABC reported that the Legislature passed the Responsible Data Center Development Act in June. The measure would set requirements for facilities drawing at least 20 megawatts; at the time of that report, Gov. Kathy Hochul had not signed or vetoed it. The lobbying figures document reported activity around the bills, but do not establish the effect of that activity on the legislation.
The debate also involves electricity demand and who should bear the costs of connecting large facilities to the grid. The Rockefeller Institute of Government reported nearly 12 gigawatts of data-center load requests in New York’s interconnection queue as of May. That figure is not a count of facilities certain to be built: the Governor’s office cautioned that queue entries do not establish which large-load projects will proceed to construction. The office said a Public Service Commission proceeding would review interconnection processes, cost allocation and tariffs; its announcement described a review, not a final adopted cost-allocation rule.
Hochul issued orders pausing new hyperscale data-center approvals and certain permits, according to NEWS10 ABC. Environmental and consumer advocates have argued that the state’s approach should examine broader effects, including utility bills, water use and noise, and have called for public hearings, the outlet reported. The state’s review and those advocacy demands are part of the policy backdrop to the filings, but are separate from what the lobbying tally measures.
Local and interstate comparisons have limits
Local governments can set different terms from state policy. A Suffolk County Planning Commission staff report dated August 5, 2026, said Brookhaven’s data-center moratorium measure included hardship exceptions and exceptions for existing permits and for applications already accepted as complete and pending. That is one locality-level example, not evidence that all New York moratoriums have the same provisions.
Other states are also addressing large-load customers, but their policies are not New York rules. A Virginia State Corporation Commission fact sheet posted February 24, 2026, says hyperscale data centers and other large-load customers were placed in a separate GS-5 rate class. The New York proceeding announced by the Governor’s office is still a review of interconnection and cost-allocation issues, rather than an equivalent final rate classification.
A large two-month total within a record-setting year
The July–August figure follows a record first half for New York lobbying: the Times Union reported $213 million in spending during the first six months of 2026. Those figures cover different periods, so they should not be treated as a direct comparison of the same reporting window. The Commission’s preliminary tally nonetheless shows that data-center legislation was the leading bill-related lobbying focus in July and August, while the broader spending total remained above the same two months a year earlier.
