Court considers dismissal of lawsuit challenging Sangamon County CyrusOne data center approval
Residents are challenging Sangamon County’s approval of a proposed CyrusOne data center in Talkington Township. A judge is expected to consider whether to dismiss the lawsuit, which raises procedural and environmental concerns, including questions about utility commitments.
A lawsuit filed by nearby residents challenges Sangamon County’s approval of a proposed CyrusOne data center on 280 acres of farmland in Talkington Township, less than 10 miles from Waverly. The residents allege that the project application was incomplete and raise procedural and environmental concerns, including uncertainty over whether utilities have committed to serving the facility.
Sangamon County Circuit Judge Adam Giganti was scheduled to hear arguments on the county’s motion to dismiss, but the hearing was postponed after an attorney became ill. The county maintains that its board acted reasonably, citing potential jobs, economic growth and tax revenue. The Sangamon County Board approved the project’s conditional-use permit in April by a 17-10 vote, and the court’s eventual decision will determine whether the lawsuit proceeds.