Champaign County Weighs Data Center Concerns
Champaign County residents are actively involved in shaping new regulations for large data centers as a county task force reviews a draft ordinance. Concerns include water and energy use, noise, and farmland preservation. A moratorium on new large data centers is currently in place until April.
The Champaign County Data Center Task Force is actively developing an ordinance to regulate large data center developments, following a one-year moratorium enacted by the county. During a recent review of the proposed ordinance, Champaign County residents, including George Hardabek, voiced a wide range of concerns. These issues span from water and energy consumption, potential noise pollution, and impacts on wildlife, to the preservation of prime agricultural land and the Mahomet Aquifer.
Task force member Andrew Rehn acknowledged the community's desire for a complete ban on data centers, but noted that legal advice indicates such a prohibition is not permissible. Consequently, the task force is focusing on crafting regulations that will control the location and operational aspects of data centers to mitigate their potential impacts. The moratorium is set to expire in April. The draft ordinance will undergo further review, including additional public hearings, before it is presented to the full Champaign County Board for a final vote.