News about data centers from the Shaw Local News Network
From Capitol News Illinois: The debate over how to regulate data centers in Illinois is intensifying as lawmakers struggle to balance a host of competing interests.
A page on city of Joliet website posts documents on proposed data center, including estimated electricity usage and property taxes over 30 years.
City acknowledges for first time that data center project will be considered at a special March 5 meeting of the Joliet Plan Commission.
In justifying the increases, the city of Yorkville said just one building for the 228-acre, nine building CyrusOne data center campus will require almost 300 inspections.
Dillan Vancil: Congress should stop using band‑aid bailouts and fix trade policy so farmers are not collateral damage every time there’s a trade war. Read Vancil's full questionnaire here
Executive at open house says Joliet Technology Center could be on special March 5 agenda for Plan Commission with City Council vote to follow.
Aligned, a company that builds data centers, is hosting an open house from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to share information on a potential data center in Coal City.
The developers of the CyrusOne data center have reduced the plan to eight warehouses totaling 2.1 million square feet and downsized the substation by half its original size.
From Capitol News Illinois: Illinois lawmakers are pursuing data center regulations to address concerns about price increases, electricity shortages and environmental impacts
The Rochelle City Council discussed a potential development agreement Monday with Project Crossroads, a much talked-about data center development.
Hillwood and Power House Data Centers, the companies proposing the Joliet Technology Center, will host the open house.
Brian Sager: Data Centers are becoming the ‘unnecessary evil of modern society.’ Arguably, their location is and should be driven by underlying available resources, such as power grid provisions, and regionally increasing data demands. Read Sager's full questionnaire here
Neil Khot: There are serious concerns that warrant congressional investigation, including potential ethics violations, failures to comply with court orders, and unconstitutional actions by ICE and other federal law enforcement agencies. Read Khot's full election questionnaire
Neil “Muggsy” Gallagher: The real leadership I will provide for this district will protect farmland, get trucks out of our communities and stop my Republican opponents’ attempts to fund services for illegal immigrants. Read Gallagher's full questionnaire here
Judy Ogalla on a top priority for the Will County Board: Lower taxes, I voted for a ZERO percent Levy increase for 2026. In previous years, I have consistently voted against property tax increases. Read Ogalla's full election questionnaire here
Frankie Pretzel on a top priority for the Will County Board: We must stop raising our levy year after year which results in higher taxes. Read Pretzel's full election questionnaire here
Don Tracy on top priorities for the U.S. Senate: I will push for common sense solutions that make life more affordable for working families. This includes lowering energy and gas costs, health care costs, taxes, and inflation. Read Tracy's full election questionnaire here
Steve Botsford, U.S. Senate candidate: Allowing large financial firms to buy up large numbers of single-family homes distorts local markets and makes it harder for families to buy or rent at reasonable prices. Read Botsford's full election questionnaire here
Pamela Denise Long on immigration priorities: 1. No amnesty. 2. Change the “nation of immigrants” rhetoric. 3. Change the “legal good/illegal bad” narrative: Mass immigration both legal and illegal hurts the American citizen. Read Long's full election questionnaire here
Bryan Maxwell, a senate candidate on his top priority: Passing Medicare for All, to begin gradual transition of Americans to the Medicare program. Read Maxwell's full election questionnaire here
Robin Kelly: People are paying too much for healthcare. I will never give up fighting for Americans to have access to quality care. As a member of the Medicare for All Caucus, I am working to make Medicare for All the law of the land. Read Kelly's full questionnaire here
Jonathan Dean on a top priority for the U.S. Senate: Addressing the affordability crisis by temporarily allowing folks to use pretax dollars for everyday necessities, such as groceries, child care, and student loan payments. Read Dean's full questionnaire here
Ernie Marcelain on fixing school funding: I feel individual property taxes that the counties impose are way out of control. We need to revise the PTELL to make property taxes fairer to homeowners. Read Marcelain's full election questionnaire here
Sam Polan: My priorities are simple: make life more affordable, protect our democracy and the rule of law, and restore competence and trust in our government. Read Polan's full election questionnaire here
John Elleson on his top legislative priorities: "Addiction and mental health services, immigration reform, fiscal responsibility." Read Elleson's full election questionnaire here
Ricky Rivard: I will fight for real property tax relief by fixing our school funding system, ending the over-reliance on local property taxes and pushing the state to meet its obligation to fund education. Read Rivard's full election questionnaire here
Ben McAdams on a top priority for the district: Investing more in public healthcare and healthcare infrastructure to make it affordable for Illinoisans. Read McAdams' full election questionnaire here
Caroline McCree on top priorities: Regulation for data centers to protect residents, expanding services available through the county health departments or other local organizations to fill in healthcare gaps. Read McCree's full election questionnaire here
Adam Beaty: The SAFE-T Act warrants careful review and meaningful reform. Chief among the concerns is the limitation it places on judicial discretion. Read Beaty's full questionnaire here
Joe Sosnowski on the state's long-term pension obligations: We need to 1. move new employees to a 401K system; 2. continue to make full annual payments, and 3. increase the retirement age while not enhancing benefits. Read Sosnowski's full questionnaire here
Marty Mohr: I am open to renewable energy, but I am firmly opposed to the state’s current approach, which strips local communities of their decision-making power. Read Mohr's full questionnaire here
Larry W. Smith on top priorities for the McHenry County Board: Reducing taxes, creating jobs and protecting our farmland and open spaces are important to the voters in District 8
Jared Ploger: My three priorities are rooted in affordability: 1) Living Wages, 2) Affordable housing, 3) Fully Funding our education system, including our higher educational system. Read Ploger's full election questionnaire here
Saba Haider: As a small business owner myself, I am committed to fostering economic growth by supporting local businesses, helping families thrive through job creation, improving public services, and promoting financial security. Read Haider's full questionnaire here
Julie Berkowicz: As a member of the Will County and DuPage County Farm Bureau, I am actively engaged in the agricultural community and will continue to support efforts to grow and preserve these businesses
Maria Peterson: This is a common-sense approach: modernize our tax system to create a dedicated funding source, honor our past commitments, and ensure the system is fair for our current and future public servants. Read Peterson's full questionnaire here
Martin McLaughlin: I will continue to vote against any tax increases, and I will support property tax relief. Read McLaughlin's full questionnaire here
Joe Berning on a top priority for the state house: To promote a fair and progressive tax system which needs to phase out the current flat tax. It would be the best way to accomplish so many other goals for Illinois. Read Berning's full questionnaire here
Lynn LaPlante: I’m running to lead a government that will be fiscally responsible AND make critical investments in community services for the most vulnerable members of our community
Karen Battaglia: Property taxes are one of the biggest pressures on families in our district, and school funding is a major driver of those costs. I believe we can provide relief to homeowners without shortchanging our schools. Read Battaglia's full questionnaire here
Diane Blair Sherlock on the SAFE-T-Act: There are discussions of potential changes which I am open to. Some of the proposals include expanding detainable offenses which I am open to. Read her full questionnaire here
Liz Bishop: The 76th District’s top issue is the same throughout the state: the ever-increasing cost of living in Illinois. Read Bishop's full questionnaire here
Veronica Garcia-Martinez: My three priorities in Springfield begin with addressing the rising cost of living that is putting real strain on families across the district, including increasing utility costs for homeowners and renters. Read her full questionnaire here
Yorkville City Administrator Bart Olson gave a presentation earlier this month to the Plano School Board to discuss the influx of property tax dollars that could be coming its way.
A real estate developer has withdrawn a $2 billion proposal to build a data center in Barrington Hills following public outcry, officials announced.
Citing risks of increased pollution and higher electricity costs for all consumers, a science-based nonprofit is calling on Illinois lawmakers to strengthen regulations amid the ongoing data center boom.
A proposed data center near Braidwood is on hold due to ComEd's internal demands and regulations, the City of Braidwood said on Thursday.
City officials said Planning Director Jayne Bernhard alerted supervisors that she has family connections to the land eyed for a data center and has not been involved in planning for the project.
Lisle residents will have to wait to sound off on a proposed data center after the village's planning and zoning commission decided to postpone a Wednesday night hearing due to the size of the crowd.
With $40,000 coming towards the pockets of the Whispering Meadows Homeowners Association for reimbursed maintenance costs, a 20-year ordeal in Yorkville is coming to a close. Overall, the city has received $1.56 million in settlements from the developers.