Lockport Data Center Opposition Grows: Residents Sound Alarm on Property Values, Increased Utility Bills, and Local Environmental Impact
Lockport residents and Will County officials protested a proposed data center development, citing concerns over property values, rising utility costs, and environmental risks on a former oil refinery site. A second public workshop is scheduled, and community organizers are urging participation to hold local officials accountable.
Residents of Lockport, Illinois, joined by Will County officials, gathered outside Lockport Township High School to protest a proposed industrial data center development. While city officials framed the May 26 event as an informational workshop on economic development, local advocates, including a new community group called Porters Against Data Centers, transformed it into a grassroots rally, demanding a halt to the project.
The opposition is driven by several core concerns. Homeowners fear the industrial zoning required for the data center will negatively impact residential property values and alter Lockport's small-town character. Additionally, residents are worried about a potential increase in Illinois utility costs, given the high energy consumption of data centers, which can rival that of a small city. Environmental activists have also joined the protest, highlighting the complex ecological risks associated with developing a data center on the former Chevron oil refinery site.
The City of Lockport has scheduled a second public data center workshop for June 4, 2026, at Lockport Township High School East Campus. Organizers are encouraging community members to attend, ask questions, and hold local officials accountable as the debate over the data center's future continues.