Environmental advocates rally for greater data center regulation in Illinois at the Capitol on Wednesday. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jenna Schweikert)
By Nikoel Hytrek and UIS Public Affairs Reporting (PAR)
SPRINGFIELD —Illinois lawmakers are digging deep on data centers, with a House committee hearing from mayors, labor groups, and agriculture representatives about the facilities’ local impacts in the first of three planned meetings.
Rep. Ann Williams, D-Chicago, the chair of the House Executive Committee, said she wanted to hear about the benefits and challenges of data centers as the General Assembly considers regulations like the POWER Act.
“Whatever we do here, we have to put people first,” she said. “We have to put communities first. Data’s important, business is important, revenues are important, but people must come first.”
Water use, energy use, noise and how community benefit agreements are constructed were the primary concerns lawmakers wanted to address on Wednesday.
Generally, the speakers acknowledged data centers are part of a growing economy and are needed to support technology like AI, cloud computing and data storage used by various industries, from education to health care.
Some cautioned against regulation, saying it could dissuade companies from investing in Illinois while others aired different concerns they’ve encountered.
An Illinois Senate committee has two data center-related hearings scheduled for later this week as well. Environmental advocates on Wednesday also lobbied in the Capitol for data center regulation.
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