Logan County passes 12-month data center moratorium after months of debate
The Logan County Board in Illinois has enacted a 12-month moratorium on data center construction following months of community debate and opposition. Residents celebrated the decision, which effectively halts a proposed data center project by Hut 8. The developer had previously warned that even a shorter moratorium would kill the project.
The Logan County Board in Illinois voted to enact a 12-month moratorium on data center construction Tuesday night, effectively halting any data center development in the county for the next year. This decision followed months of intense debate and packed courthouse meetings, where local residents voiced strong opposition to a proposed data center project.
The vote, which saw a majority of the board in favor of a longer moratorium than initially recommended, was met with cheers from the crowd. Residents expressed gratitude to the board members for their consideration and for listening to community opinions. Opponents of the project had previously organized demonstrations, which ultimately paid off.
However, the decision was not without dissent. Two board members and union representatives expressed concerns about a missed economic opportunity, citing potential jobs and tax revenue that the data center could have brought to the area. Greg Irwin from Hut 8, the developer behind the previously considered project, had warned that even a 90-day moratorium would effectively kill their plans.
The 12-month moratorium means that, for the foreseeable future, no data center will be built in Logan County, much to the relief of the project's opponents but to the disappointment of its supporters.