Briel addresses data centers, hate groups, healthcare at Peru town hall
State Representative Amy "Murri" Briel held a town hall in Peru, Illinois, where she discussed potential legislation like the Power Act. This act would require large electricity users, including data centers, to provide their own energy and contribute to communities. Briel also advocated for data centers to enter reclamation agreements.
State Representative Amy "Murri" Briel (D-Ottawa) conducted a town hall meeting at the Westclox Event Center in Peru, Illinois, on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. During the session, which addressed various local and state concerns including healthcare access and property taxes, Briel specifically discussed the growing presence of data centers in the Illinois Valley.
Briel highlighted the proposed Power Act, legislation designed to mandate that large electricity consumers, such as data centers, generate their own power and cover the costs of grid connections. She cited Meta's data center in DeKalb as an example of community contribution, emphasizing her view that all data centers entering the area should commit in writing to community investments and land reclamation agreements upon their departure. The discussion also touched on other matters, including constituent concerns about hate group activity, which Briel stated she would address with the attorney general's office.