Mattoon City Council to consider data center moratorium
The Mattoon City Council is set to consider a proposed annual moratorium on large-scale data center developments. This proposal comes amidst ongoing discussions in Central Illinois regarding data center expansion and regulation. McLean County previously implemented regulations on data center water use and infrastructure costs.
The Mattoon City Council is preparing to vote on a proposal for a recurring annual moratorium on large-scale data center developments, specifically those exceeding 21,780 square feet. This consideration is scheduled for the council's meeting on Tuesday, September 1st.
This local action is part of a broader trend across Central Illinois, where various municipalities and counties are addressing the rapid expansion of data centers. Republican Senate Candidate Don Tracy has also commented on the issue of data center growth in the region.
In a related development, McLean County, another area in Central Illinois, previously restricted data center applications to manufacturing districts. Following this, the county voted to implement new regulations specifically targeting water use and infrastructure costs associated with data center projects.