Illinois Governor weighs in on data centers
The Illinois Farm Bureau has expressed concerns about the impact of large data centers on natural resources and energy prices. Governor J.B. Pritzker has withdrawn tax incentives for data centers and is advocating for state standards that would require data centers to provide their own power and use closed-loop water systems. He also believes local zoning authorities should have the final say on such developments.
The Illinois Farm Bureau's president, Phillip Nelson, has highlighted the environmental and economic impact of large data centers as a primary concern for the organization. Nelson specifically mentioned worries about the strain on electricity grids and potential increases in energy prices, noting the significant power consumption of these facilities.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker acknowledged these concerns, stating that while the state extended tax incentives to data centers in 2020, those incentives have since been withdrawn from all classes of data centers this year. The Governor noted a distinction, emphasizing that the current wave of AI data centers presents a different challenge.
Pritzker recounted advocating for a bill that would have mandated data centers to bring their own power and implement closed-loop water systems, a measure that did not pass the legislature. Despite this, he plans to continue pushing for minimum state standards to protect Illinois's water resources and power grid. The Governor also stated his belief that local zoning authorities should retain the ultimate decision-making power regarding data center locations.