In an investigative hearing Wednesday, state representatives heard from multiple local government leaders that have data centers in their areas.
The leaders spoke to some of the positive and negative impacts for residents.
DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes said a Meta data center in his city – which began operating in 2023 – has allowed for significant tax relief to residents while still bringing in significantly more money for local bodies.
Aurora Mayor John Laesch said his city has also benefitted from data center investment financially, but there have also been some significant downsides.
He told the committee that residents are concerned with power consumption amid rising rates in the region. He also mentioned a lesser-discussed complaint he’s received: noise pollution.
Rep. Dan Ugaste argued that it’s inconsistent for suburban residents to cite noise concerns when his rural constituents report that renewable energy projects, which the mayor said he supports, like wind turbines, create a similar hum.
Laesch told the representative that complex state regulations on noise pollution make it hard to restrict the noise, and changes could help limit the acceptable amount of sound in both settings.
Story from Illinois Radio Network
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