Pritzker demands data center regulations during veto session
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is urging state lawmakers to pass data center regulations during the upcoming veto session. This follows the failure of the proposed POWER Act to advance earlier this year, which aimed to address issues like energy costs, water usage, and local control. Negotiations are ongoing to create a compromise bill.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has called on state lawmakers to pass data center regulations during the upcoming veto session, stressing the need for policies to protect consumers, the environment, and vulnerable communities. The push comes after the proposed POWER Act, which Pritzker and Democratic lawmakers supported, failed to pass through House and Senate committees before the spring session concluded.
The POWER Act sought to implement strict protections to limit pollution, ensure sustainable water use, and establish transparent reporting and consumer protection requirements for data centers. Governor Pritzker emphasized that data centers are welcome in Illinois as long as they adhere to these rules.
Clean energy advocates, including Jen Walling, CEO of the Illinois Environmental Council, warn that unchecked data center development could increase the state's electricity costs by an estimated $37 billion by 2050. Walling highlighted the struggles faced by local governments and residents, who feel left out of the decision-making process, fueling public anger and demand for action.
In response to these concerns, Senate Republicans introduced a separate bill in late May aimed at strengthening local control over data center placement. This proposal would empower local governments to determine facility locations and prevent data centers from being approved within three miles of residential areas or other municipal boundaries without explicit consent. It also incorporates water regulation and transparency measures similar to those in the POWER Act. Lawmakers are set to reconvene on November 17 for a six-day veto session, with Pritzker expressing hope for a compromise bill.