Data Center

Harrison Meece wants to be on the team bringing a data center somewhere in McLean County — but only on the people's terms. He said as various moratoriums are put in place, now is the time to do more education for residents.

There has been one permit pulled for the installation of a BESS, at Rivian. It encompasses less than an acre, according to the town planning and zoning department, and would not be visible from a public street.

The City of Bloomington shared a general timeline for the actions it plans to take during a six-month moratorium on proposals for hyperscale data centers.

Democratic state Rep. Sharon Chung is celebrating passing public media protections, congratulates the Chicago Tribune, her work on the cannabis industry, data centers and the budget.

Republican state Sen. Sally Turner reflects on the late night budget, a pause on gas sales tax, property tax relief, regulating data centers and a pause in data center tax credits.

Democratic state Sen. Dave Koehler reflects on data center regulations, the budget process, a bill regulating down coding, insurance and the farmer's estate tax laws.

Development of large-scale data centers is booming across the Midwest and South. As some communities push back, local and state governments are trying to catch up on how to regulate the new development.

The zoning board's more detailed rules for data centers cover everything from infrastructure and lighting to power and water use.

The nonbinding ballot questions on data centers, arms sales and a 1% grocery tax telegraph voter sentiment in the upcoming election.

The POWER Act, an expansive bill to regulate data centers, will not pass the General Assembly this spring, but the bill’s leaders say the measure isn’t dead and negotiations will continue through the summer.