Lockport schedules data center workshops as opposition already begins to grow
The City of Lockport is holding public workshops to discuss potentially opening its Star Innovation District to data centers. Residents are already organizing formal opposition to the idea due to concerns about noise, pollution, electricity rates, and water usage. No official data center proposals have been introduced yet.
The City of Lockport, Illinois, is preparing to host a series of public workshops to explore the possibility of attracting data centers to its Star Innovation District, a property previously owned by Chevron along the Illinois Sanitary and Shipping Canal. Mayor Steven Streit emphasized that while the city is not committed to the idea, the district is already zoned to accommodate such facilities, and officials believe it's important to understand the potential opportunity. The workshops, scheduled for May 26 and June 4 at Lockport Township High School East Campus, will feature experts from various fields, including utility providers ComEd and Nicor, and offer residents a forum for questions.
Despite the city's assertion that no official proposals have been introduced and no decisions will be made at the workshops, significant resident opposition has already emerged. A group called "Porters Against Data Centers" has formed on Facebook, quickly garnering over 100 members who plan to attend both the organized media event and the city's workshops. Their concerns echo those voiced in other Illinois communities like Joliet and Yorkville, where data centers have faced controversy, citing issues such as noise and air pollution, increased electrical rates, high water usage, and potential impact on wildlife. The article notes that Plainfield has enacted a moratorium on data center proposals in response to these regional issues.