ByEyewitness News
Monday, November 9, 2026 10:42AM
The protest is set for Monday morning outside Senator Schumer’s Midtown office.
WABC
MIDTOWN (WABC) –Environmental activists are set to rally outside Sen. Chuck Schumer’s Midtown office Monday, urging the New York Democrat to oppose legislation they say would accelerate the expansion of unregulated artificial intelligence data centers.
The demonstration comes as the Senate is expected to consider a bill that would speed up approvals for data center projects. The measure has bipartisan support in Congress.
Protesters argue the projects would increase energy consumption, water use, and pollution, while supporters say expanded data center capacity is needed to meet growing demand for AI technologies and maintain U.S. competitiveness.
“Data centers are enormous, enormous energy hogs; they use water and enormous amounts of power, so they produce huge amounts of pollution, both water pollution- they use the water and pollute it- and air pollution from the gas turbines used to power the facility,” said Pete Sikora of New York Communities for Change.
Activists are expected to gather outside Schumer’s office beginning at 10 a.m.
Eyewitness News has contacted Schumer’s office for comment and has not yet received a response.
*Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
Man dead, 4 hurt, including 2 firefighters, in Upper Manhattan apartment fire
‘I’m In Deep Pain’: Mother of Brooklyn jogger murder suspect speaks out
Jogger murder suspect allegedly told police he went to bike path with knife
Report a correction or typo
Copyright
