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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) – Gov. JB Pritzker says state lawmakers need to pass data center regulations during veto session. Negotiations are happening behind the scenes while local governments across the state are making tough decisions about data centers.
Pritzker and Democratic lawmakers hoped to pass the POWER Act before the spring session ended. However, the legislation failed to move out of House and Senate committees before the General Assembly adjourned.
The plan could create policies ensuring data centers pay their fair share to protect consumers and Illinois’ climate. It also calls for strict protections to limit pollution and keep vulnerable communities safe.
The measure would establish sustainable water use, transparent reporting and consumer protection requirements as well.
“We don’t want them not to be built as long as they follow the rules of the POWER Act,” Pritzker said Thursday. “So, we’ll see what happens in November. There are obviously other things that we could consider doing, but I think right now what we want to make sure we’re doing is requiring them to do the things that keep people safe in their communities and keep bills as low as they possibly can be.”
Clean energy advocates say skyrocketing energy costs are almost entirely driven by unprecedented demand from data center development. In fact, the Illinois Environmental Council said data centers could increase the state’s electricity costs by $37 billion through 2050 if lawmakers fail to create guardrails.
“Big tech is running the show,” IEC CEO Jen Walling said. “Local governments are struggling to respond to these proposals, and residents are being left in the dark. That’s why people are angry, and they want action.”
Senate Republicans filed a bill in late May to strengthen local control of data centers. That proposal would allow local governments to decide where facilities can be located and prevent data centers from being approved within three miles of residential communities or another municipality’s boundaries without written consent.
The plan also includes some of the same water regulation and transparency requirements featured in the POWER Act.
“We’re hoping that we can have a compromise bill, something that will work for everybody and that will impose the regulations that I outlined,” Pritzker said.
Lawmakers are set to return to Springfield Nov. 17, but they will only have six days to pass data center regulations during veto session.