SECS set to lead anti-data center protest

Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS) plans to lead a protest on September 25 in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, advocating for stringent regulations on data center developments. The student organization issued a statement to The Daily Illini, expressing alarm over the current lack of a robust regulatory framework at state and federal levels to hold data center developers accountable and safeguard local communities. They specifically called upon the Champaign County Board and the Illinois General Assembly to take immediate action.

The protest will commence in front of Foellinger Auditorium, proceed through the Main Quad, and culminate in a rally at Alma Mater, featuring speakers including experts, professors, and community organizers. This demonstration is set against the backdrop of an expiring 12-month moratorium on data center development, which the Champaign County Board enacted on April 23. A Data Center Activities Task Force, established by the board earlier this year, is currently tasked with drafting an ordinance to regulate large data centers within the county.

SECS warns that without an approved ordinance before the moratorium's expiration, Champaign County faces the risk of hosting unregulated hyperscale data centers. The task force recently held a public comment meeting on August 31, which reportedly lasted over three hours, and its next meeting is scheduled for September 21. SECS emphasized that it is the responsibility of elected officials to protect communities from the potential harms posed by data centers.