TeraWulf
TeraWulf (WULF)is a Maryland‑based public company that develops large‑scale data centers and cryptocurrency mining operations. Google owns a 14% stake in TeraWulf, which currently has a market cap of about $5.2B and which is not yet profitable.
In 2026, TeraWulf is proposing to build a data center facility with an initial 150MW of co-location capacity near the former Cayuga Generating Station coal-fired power plant in the Town of Lansing. However, if the Town of Lansing passes a one-year moratorium on the permitting of large scale development projects (tentatively any project requiring a new building >6000 sq ft), then acting on any application to the Town to build the data center might be delayed by up to a year.
TeraWulf already leases out Bitcoin miningand high‑performance computing capacity to clients at its Lake Mariner facility in Barker, NY. That facility presently has about 360MW of capacity leased out with plans to expand capacity up to 750MW in the future.
On 14 August 2025, TeraWulf announced an 80-year lease on 183 acres of land at the former Cayuga Generating Station site in Lansing with plans to develop up to 400 MW of digital infrastructure. . Their August press release mentioned that about 138MW of capacity might be available by the second half of 2026.
Sensing possible opposition by environmental groups, TeraWulf officials have stated on several occasions that the new facility in Lansing would use closed‑loop cooling that would not require cooling water from the lake except for an initial 360,000 gallons needed for a closed loop water-glycol cooling system.
Regarding noise, TeraWulf officials have stated that noise levels at the property boundaries would not exceed 55 dB, but it should be noted that under certain conditions noise transmitted over lake water can be amplified by a process known as noise ducting. And, while 55 dB is considered a moderate noise level, it can be experienced as annoying if continuous, at night, or heard by sensitive individuals.
TeraWulf officials have not yet estimated the noise levels during construction or whether a co-location leasee might have the option under a future lease to install noisier crypto-mining equipment, which typically emits noise in the 70-95 dB range. One official has stated that TeraWulf doesn’t control what servers their leasees install on their Lake Mariner site or what computing work this equipment is used for.
But, if the colocation owners intend to be “use agnostic” at a facility to be constructed in Lansing, would TeraWulf leases to colocation clients actually include any prohibitions against cypto-mining? TeraWulf officials have stated that TeraWulf simply provides the location infrastructure in the form of the building and the provision of electricity and fiber optic connectivity. And, while TeraWulf Chief Strategist has stated that “We want to get out of the crypto business [at Lake Mariner]”, it’s not clear that clients at a future Lake Hawkeye facility in Lansing would be willing to sign leases that legally prohibited them from installing and operating noisy crypto-mining operations on site.
It could take many months of excavation and grading to create level platforms for each of three 7-acre data center buildings on what is now a hillside with a % slope. Earth-moving equipment typically emits noise levels in the range of 80 to 115 dBA, with the specific decibel level depending on the type of machine and its activity. Some of the loudest equipment can reach peak noise levels as high as 125 dBA.
For perspective, OSHA requires employers to implement a hearing conservation program for employees exposed to 85 dBA or higher averaged over an 8-hour shift. Exposure to 100 dBA, which is common on a construction site, can cause hearing damage in as little as one hour per day.
The Google Earth image below shows in yellow the proposed footprints of the first three data center buildings. The green shading shows a proposed “75 ft deep landscaping as visual screening” on the north, west, and southern exposures of the three-building campus. But how much sound might this future buffer absorb, especially is there is a steep embankment along the western boundary? And, would the more level land located between this site and the lake be used for a subsequent buildout to 400MW of high-performance computing capacity?
Cayuga Lake Environmental Action Now (CLEAN) strongly supports Town of Lansing Local Law No. 7: a 365‑day moratorium on land‑use development reviews, approvals, and land‑development actions. A temporary pause will give Lansing time to align zoning with the Comprehensive Plan, gather robust community input, and prevent any single project from forcing rushed decisions about our shoreline’s future.
Why CLEAN supports the moratorium:
– It creates breathing room for careful planning, community engagement, and technical review before major projects proceed.
– It prevents a single developer’s timeline from driving the Town’s zoning rewrite and long‑term land‑use outcomes.
– It allows evaluation of cumulative environmental, economic, and social impacts—especially for sensitive lakeshore parcels.
CLEAN’s principles for shoreline planning
– Rethink “once industrial, always industrial”: Historic industrial use (e.g., Cayuga Salt Mine, Milliken Station) should not lock the lakeshore into perpetual industrial zoning. Lansing should plan for compatible, forward‑looking uses that protect the lake and support local economies.
– Enable reclassification: Update zoning so formerly Industrial/Research (IR) lakeshore parcels can be reclassified where appropriate, allowing conversion to uses that prioritize lake protection, recreation, vineyards, ecotourism, and community benefits.
– Establish a riparian buffer: Create a minimum one‑mile riparian buffer along Cayuga Lake in which new industrial uses are prohibited and existing industrial uses are phased out through a fair, collaborative process.
– Require transparent, enforceable protections: Any future approvals must include clear standards for water withdrawals/discharges, noise and light limits, traffic and emergency planning, enforceable community benefits, and third‑party environmental review.
Specific concerns about the proposed TeraWulf project
– No one project should short‑circuit Lansing’s zoning update. CLEAN opposes allowing the TeraWulf proposal to proceed while the moratorium and planning process are underway.
– The Town needs full disclosure and independent review of any industrial water intake/discharge plans, energy and interconnection requests, and realistic local economic impacts before moving forward.
– Decisions about the Cayuga Power Plant site must prioritize lake health, drinking‑water protection, and long‑term community resilience over speculative corporate promises.
What CLEAN asks the Town Board to do now
– Adopt Local Law No. 7 (365‑day moratorium) promptly to allow comprehensive planning and transparent public input.
– Direct the zoning rewrite to include mechanisms for reclassifying shoreline IR parcels and to establish the proposed riparian buffer.
– Require that any future applications for large‑scale development include independent environmental review and binding community benefit agreements.
– Ensure meaningful public participation at every stage of the zoning update and site‑specific review processes.
How you can help
– Attend and speak at Town Board and Planning Board meetings.
– Submit written comments supporting the moratorium, shoreline reclassification options, and a one‑mile riparian buffer.
Lansing faces a crucial choice about its lakeshore legacy. A measured moratorium and a zoning rewrite grounded in community values — not developer timelines — will protect Cayuga Lake, support sustainable local economies, and ensure future development reflects the needs and priorities of residents. CLEAN urges the Town Board to adopt Local Law No. 7 and begin thoughtful, transparent planning now.
The Cayuga Power Plant in Lansing, New York, operated by Cayuga Operating Company, LLC, has long posed environmental and health risks due to its unlined coal ash disposal landfill. With a significant portion of the landfill unlined, toxic leachate containing harmful elements like arsenic and selenium is discharged into Cayuga Lake, endangering the drinking water for over 100,000 people. The EPA confirmed this threat in 2013, highlighting groundwater pollution that exceeds safe drinking water standards. CLEAN advocates for immediate action to halt these discharges by treating coal ash leachate in a suitable wastewater treatment facility, reinforcing environmental monitoring, and ensuring public safety through stringent regulatory measures and transparent communication.