Posted on November 13th, 2025

By Lindsey Angioletti

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At a recent Hofstra forum titled “From Data to Demand: AI’s Impact on Energy & Communities,” policymakers, energy leaders, and academics convened to explore how the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and its massive data infrastructure are reshaping Long Island’s energy landscape. Hosted by the National Center for Suburban Studies (NCSS) at Hofstra University, in partnership with the Regional Plan Association (RPA) and New York Transco, the discussion examined how data centers, the backbone of AI innovation, will test the limits of the region’s energy grid, land use, and community planning as well as it’s effect on local, state, and federal regulations.

Lawrence Levy, executive dean of the NCSS, opened the program by noting that Hofstra is “committed to bringing people together, hearing all voices,” emphasizing the University’s role in convening conversations that unite community stakeholders around pressing regional issues, a key pillar of the Hofstra 100 strategic plan.

Rob Freudenberg, vice president for energy and environmental programs at RPA, set the stage by calling the AI boom “a revolution” with far-reaching implications for how communities use land and energy. “Data centers require a tremendous amount of energy,” he said. “The bigger they are and the more AI we use, the more energy we need to power them.” He warned that data centers are expanding rapidly, straining grids and resources across the nation, including water and land, and urged Long Island to plan proactively to ensure this growth benefits rather than burdens local communities.

Panelist Paul Haering, vice president of capital investment at New York Transco, explained that Long Island’s electrical infrastructure faces significant challenges. “Long Island is truly an electrical island,” he explained. “Starting in 2027, there is potential for a reliability concern on Long Island,” due to the retirement of older gas-fired plants and renewable energy projects. His remarks highlighted the urgency of expanding transmission capacity and upgrading the grids to meet future demand-driven, AI-related development.

Ashira Ostrow, The Peter S. Kalikow Distinguished Professor in Real Estate Law and professor of law, provided a deep look into regulatory hurdles of siting data centers. She outlined the complex local, county, and state permitting processes and predicted that large-scale projects could raise environmental concerns, from stormwater runoff to emissions, and community questions about fairness and benefit. “The local community is going to ask, ‘What’s in it for us?’” Ostrow said, emphasizing that public engagement is critical to gaining community trust.

Vanessa Baird-Streeter, president and CEO of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island, underscored the importance of equity and early engagement. “We have to make sure that we are engaging communities early on in the process,” she said. She called for workforce development and training programs to ensure that “people have skill sets enhanced to be participatory in the revolution we’re experiencing.” 

Matt Cohen, president and CEO of the Long Island Association (LIA), called AI both a challenge and a major economic opportunity. “We’ve always been a pioneer on Long Island in new technologies,” he remarked, citing local innovations from the lunar module to offshore wind. He urged collaboration among academia, business, and labor to ensure AI’s growth benefits. “We have to be all in this together,” Cohen said. “Offshore wind happened because environmentalists, businesses, and labor worked together.”

Cohen also announced plans for new LIA initiatives to help small businesses adapt to AI. “The key is going to be helping small business on Long Island integrate AI in a positive way,” he added. “They are the backbone of our communities.”

Levy closed the program by reflecting on Long Island’s history of stalled progress. “I’ve seen hundreds of worthy proposals go down in flames,” he said. “But when I see this room, the full spectrum of stakeholders who get things done, I have more hope than ever that we will ultimately get things done.”