Commentary: With Big Tech’s big footprint, Illinois needs guardrails for data centers now

Jen Walling, Executive Director of the Illinois Environmental Council, has authored a commentary published in Crain's Chicago Business, advocating for immediate regulatory action regarding data center development in Illinois. Walling specifically calls upon Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and the state government to establish "guardrails" to manage the industry's expansion. The article emphasizes that without proper regulation, the rapid proliferation of data centers could undermine the state's climate objectives, contribute to community pollution, and exacerbate existing strains on Illinois' water resources. Walling's piece highlights the urgency of implementing state-level policies to mitigate these environmental and resource-related impacts from the burgeoning tech infrastructure.