US Data Centers News

Stony Brook University highlighted its leadership in Long Island’s push to become a regional tech hub and emphasized New York State investments in quantum and regional manufacturing infrastructure.

• Main announcement/action:Stony Brook University framed Long Island as “Silicon Island,” citing New York State’s $300 million quantum investment centered at Stony Brook and referencing a $30 million state investment from the Long Island regional economic development competition to support a manufacturing hub for physical technology (defense, aerospace, energy, advanced manufacturing). The announcement was made at the inaugural Long Island Tech & Innovation Summit on June 11 at the Long Island Marriott, hosted by Accelerate Long Island.
• Event and implementation details / background: The summit (inaugural) convened research, higher education, business and government leaders to discuss quantum information science, AI, biotechnology, energy, workforce development, data centers and regional infrastructure. Sub-bullets:
  • Date: June 11, 2026
  • Location: Long Island Marriott
  • Host: Accelerate Long Island (15th anniversary of the organization)
  • Agenda/subjects: Panels on quantum/quantum networking, AI & biotech applications, infrastructure of innovation, workforce development, and strategies to retain and scale startups on Long Island.

Context: The article reports on the summit and highlights existing/state-announced investments and institutional plans rather than introducing a single new policy beyond discussion of these investments and Stony Brook-led initiatives.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) released new fact sheets on lithium and cobalt and announced its 29th annual Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO (EXPO 2026).

• New EESI publications: EESI published fact sheets on Lithium and Cobalt, noting the U.S. relies on imports for >50% of lithium consumed and 76% of cobalt consumed; the newsletter links to a 2025 Critical Minerals Issue Brief for deeper analysis.
• Event and policy updates: EXPO 2026 is scheduled for Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (reception 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.) at the Rayburn House Office Building Gold Room (Room 2168) and online; the newsletter also reports House action on the Agriculture Appropriations Act (H.R.8646) providing $22.5 billion to USDA through September 2027, and updates on geothermal permitting bills and the DOMINANCE Act to secure critical mineral supply chains.

The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) reports multiple local actions: Greene County has begun updating its comprehensive plan; PEC and partners permanently protected a 274-acre farm; GO Virginia is advancing a U.S. Route 29 “Innovation Corridor”; and Greene County began initial construction phases of the White Run Reservoir in December 2025.

• Main announcement: PEC notes that Greene County has begun updating its comprehensive plan (completion expected 2028), and PEC will advocate for a purchase of development rights program, riparian buffer protections, and rural protections as part of the process. The update will guide land use, infrastructure, housing, transportation, zoning and subdivision ordinance updates.
• Other concrete actions/details: PEC developed and financed a project that secured an agricultural conservation easement permanently protecting Long Acre Farm (274 acres) with funding from American Farmland Trust, NRCS Agricultural Land Easement program, and Virginia Land Conservation Foundation; Greene County broke ground Dec 2025 on initial White Run Reservoir phases (raw water line, intake, pump station); GO Virginia seeks to create an Innovation Corridor along U.S. Route 29 spanning Fauquier → Culpeper → Orange → Greene → Albemarle/Charlottesville, and CVPED will release a Strategic Roadmap to identify competitive advantages and actionable steps.

Google has announced a $1.5 billion investment to expand its Jackson County, Alabama data center campus for 2026 and 2027.

• $1.5 billion investment (2026-2027) to expand the Jackson County, Alabama data center; Google will fund 100% of its own power and infrastructure costs and the site has operated since 2019 on a repurposed former coal-plant site. The announcement also includes a $2 million Energy Impact Fund in partnership with TVA and CAANEAL to support local energy efficiency and weatherization programs.
• Community and complementary commitments:$550,000 donation to provide STEM kits for fourth-to-eighth graders; ongoing local initiatives include water stewardship in the Paint Rock River Watershed, training over 130,000 Alabamians in digital skills, and having generated hundreds of full-time and construction jobs. (No additional implementation timeline for the Energy Impact Fund was specified in the article.)

The state of Tennessee has pledged $43 million for the Tennessee Quantum Initiative (TQI).

• $43 million pledge by the State of Tennessee to the Tennessee Quantum Initiative (TQI) to build the ecosystem that moves quantum technologies toward real-world adoption; the initiative will increase access to quantum resources, support workforce development, and is linked to hiring through the K-Quantum Accelerator and plans for a 100,000-square-foot quantum foundry in Knoxville.
• Tennessee Valley Corridor National Summit (May 28-29, Chattanooga): attended by ORNL, DOE, UT-Battelle, U.S. Reps. Chuck Fleischmann and John Rose, and state leaders; ORNL highlighted its AI history (Oak Ridge Applied Artificial Intelligence Project, 1979), continued leadership in HPC/exascale via the Genesis Mission, and cited an industry partnership with Nvidia tied to Nvidia’s $5.5 trillion market valuation.