data center

The measure temporarily bans construction of data center facilities with at least 10,000 square feet of processing area. More than a hundred residents attended the meeting to speak in favor of the moratorium.

Lawmakers emphasized the need for transparency about how much water data centers use to cool their facilities at the final of three data center-focused hearings in the House Executive Committee.

Bloomington Mayor Dan Brady said Friday the city has no plans to consider a data center proposal in May, and the city will schedule a series of public forums on the controversial topic.

The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition said data center operators need to be transparent about what the public gets out of the big installations, releasing polling data showing 70% of Illinois residents support tighter regulation of the data center industry embodied in the POWER Act.

The City of Bloomington and Central Illinois Regional Airport [CIRA] have both said there are no redevelopment plans at the location rumored to become a data center in southeast Bloomington.

The roundtable discussion was held at the McLean County Museum of History in Bloomington. The discussion advanced the governor’s Building Up Illinois Developments [BUILD] initiative.

Ten of the 11 people who spoke during the public comments portion of Monday’s Bloomington City Council meeting voiced opposition to a perceived possibility of a data center development south of Central Illinois Regional Airport.

Several local governments in Central Illinois are looking to create their own data center regulations as lawmakers have yet to take action regulating this emerging industry. Data centers are seen as key to fueling an AI revolution. Critics worry they could drain water and electricity supplies that are needed to power them.

McLean County Board Chair Elizabeth Johnston said she disagrees, in part, with Twin City mayors Dan Brady and Chris Koos who have criticized the performance of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council. Johnston said she thinks the EDC has delivered a lot of bang for the buck.

Pekin will no longer consider having a data center built in the community. Mayor Mary Burress made the announcement Monday in a statement she read at a city council meeting.