Champaign County Officials Raise Concerns About Proposed Mahomet Data Center
Champaign County officials are seeking answers about a proposed data center in Mahomet and questioning whether the project can bypass the county’s year-long data center moratorium through the village’s jurisdiction. Officials and environmental advocates are concerned about noise, cooling systems and potential impacts on the Mahomet Aquifer, while county board members plan to send Mahomet a letter of concern.
Champaign County officials are raising concerns about a proposed data center in Mahomet, including the project’s review process, potential noise and cooling-system impacts, and water use from the Mahomet Aquifer. County Board Vice Chair Emily Rodriguez said officials want residents to influence the rules and decisions surrounding the development.
The project was discussed in emails involving Mahomet officials and Clean Cloud Energy, including the possible use of a nondisclosure agreement. County Executive Steve Summers said the county’s year-long moratorium on data center construction does not apply because the proposed development is within Mahomet’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, though he remains concerned about effects on nearby residents. County officials are preparing a letter of concern, while Prairie Rivers Network water policy director Robert Hirschfeld emphasized the aquifer’s importance as the region’s primary drinking-water source.