New York State Bar Association To Host Free Webinar on Data Centers and Energy Use
7.14.2026
The increased use of artificial intelligence requires the building of larger and more sophisticated data centers across the country to power the technology. The use of these facilities – housing computing equipment, storage systems and infrastructure to power technology such as data servers, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence – are creating unexpected impacts on the environment.
To help our members better understand the legal and regulatory issues concerning data centers, the New York State Bar Association is hosting “AI Data Centers and the Future of Our Communities,” a free webinar on the effects of data centers on the environment on Tuesday, July 28 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
“Communities across the country are debating whether to allow data centers,” said Taa Grays, president of the New York State Bar Association. “The promise of artificial intelligence is creating a peril to the environment. A panel of lawyers and environmentalists will explore these issues and discuss what steps can be taken to protect the communities impacted by data centers at our July webinar.”
The webinar will focus on real-world cases, including the construction and operation of the xAI data center in Tennessee, which is facing a lawsuit for spewing significant amounts of air pollution. Another focus will be the use of water from the Great Lakes to cool nearby data centers. Residents have alleged that this has caused water levels to fall and released pollutants into the environment.
Chandra Taylor-Sawyer, senior attorney and environmental justice initiative leader at the Southern Environmental Law Center, will lead the discussion.
The speakers will be:
- Amanda Garcia, senior attorney and data center project leader at the Southern Environmental Law Center.
- Raya Salter, adjunct professor at Cardozo School of Law and founder and director of the Energy Justice Law and Policy Center.
- Nayyirah Shariff, director of Flint Rising, a coalition of Flint, Michigan, residents that formed in response to the city’s water crisis.
The association’s Women in Law Section, Environmental and Energy Law Section, Real Property Law Section, Local and State Government Law Section, and Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies are sponsoring this program.
