Normal to vote on 6-month data center moratorium

The Normal Town Council is poised to vote on a six-month moratorium on data center development during its May 18 meeting. The proposed moratorium aims to provide town staff with time to study best practices, evaluate local conditions, and establish clear standards within the Town Code to manage future data center projects. Town staff highlighted in a memo that current land-use regulations are inadequate to address the "distinct challenges and impacts" posed by data centers, especially hyperscale facilities driven by the demand for artificial intelligence. This initiative comes amid growing resident pushback in Central Illinois over concerns regarding data centers' impact on infrastructure, electricity, and water supplies. The Normal moratorium would be in effect until November 30, 2026. Normal Mayor Chris Koos noted that the town has not yet received any inquiries from data center operators. Simultaneously, Bloomington's council is also set to discuss a temporary moratorium on data centers, indicating a regional trend in addressing these development challenges.