SPRINGFIELD — Environmental advocates, faith leaders, and community members from across Illinois gathered at the Illinois State Capitol today to demand immediate action from the Governor and Illinois lawmakers on the POWER Act (SB4016/HB5513).
“Illinois is at a turning point, and right now, we are heading in the wrong direction,” said Illinois Environmental Council Executive Director Jen Walling. “In just the last three months, Illinois communities have approved thousands of megawatts of new electricity demand from data centers without a comprehensive statewide framework in place. The longer lawmakers and the Governor wait to act, the more expensive and damaging the consequences become for families, communities, and our water and power resources.”
The press conference featured speakers from Lake County, the Metro East, and Champaign, regions that have all been subject to the detrimental impacts of new data centers as well as proposals for further development. As the state fails to act, a patchwork of municipal-level regulations have emerged, leaving some communities with limited protections and others entirely vulnerable to Big Tech.
“Hundreds of young, old, middle school students and university faculty, people of faith and action, showed up to a recent Champaign County Board meeting to let local policymakers know that we want to have a say on community impacts. We want to be heard, and we know that later may be too late for our families and futures,” said Cindy Shepherd, an advocate with Faith in Place and a Champaign resident. “Champaign County was able to pass a moratorium on data centers, but not every community across the state can do that. More data center proposals are coming and inaction from Springfield means communities will continue to be left without protections, transparency, or a seat at the table.”
Speakers described growing fears over rising utility bills, increased industrial pollution, water depletion, and closed-door negotiations between billionaire corporations and local officials.
“The Metro East has spent decades dealing with the consequences of unchecked polluting corporations,” said Reverend Darnell Tingle, Executive Director of United Congregations of Metro-East. “Communities like East St. Louis and Cahokia Heights are already struggling with flooding, failing infrastructure, and poor air quality. We need lawmakers and the Governor to stand up to Big Tech and put an end to these back room deals and make these corporations pay their fair share.”
The POWER Act would establish commonsense statewide standards requiring data center developers to pay for their own energy instead of passing costs on to working families, end backroom deals and increase transparency around projects, strengthen protections for drinking water, and prevent pollution in vulnerable communities.
“Families in Lake County are deeply concerned about what these massive data centers will mean for our utility bills, our water supply, and our quality of life,” said Michael Smith, North Barrington resident and community leader with the Lake County Data Center Opposition Coalition. “The POWER Act would finally put commonsense rules in place to protect communities like ours and ensure these companies pay their fair share instead of passing costs onto everyday Illinoisans.”
A statewide poll found massive support for the POWER Act, with nearly 70 percent of voters supporting legislation to hold data centers accountable after hearing just a brief description of the bill, with support rising as voters learn more. The POWER Act earns the support of large majorities of Independents, Republicans, and those outside of the Chicagoland area.
Speakers concluded by urging the Governor and General Assembly to negotiate and pass the POWER Act before lawmakers adjourn for the summer.
The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition is made up of more than 200 consumer, business, environmental, environmental justice, health care, faith-based and student organizations. Visit ilcleanjobs.org to learn more.
