By Chicago Urban Daily Staff
CHICAGO URBAN DAILY
CHICAGO (CHICAGO URBAN DAILY)—Mayor Brandon Johnson is asking Chicago to pump the brakes on data centers. On Wednesday, he and three alderpeople introduced a 12-month moratorium ordinance that would pause new data center construction and block major expansions of existing facilities while the city writes long-term rules for the booming industry.
“Chicago is open for business, but we are not for sale,” Johnson said in a statement. “We welcome innovation, investment and the jobs and opportunities that come with it, but growth must be done responsibly and in a way that protects the health, safety and quality of life of Chicago residents.”
The ordinance is cosponsored by Ald. Maria Hadden (49th), Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th), and Ald. Lamont J. Robinson (4th). It gives the city’s Data Centers Task Force — created by Johnson’s executive order last month — a full year to build a regulatory framework around clean air, clean water, energy use, and neighborhood impact.
The same day, the council passed a separate measure requiring Chicago’s 39 existing data centers to disclose their energy and water consumption. The industry is pushing back: the Data Center Coalition warns the moratorium could signal the city is “closed for business,” and Ald. Bill Conway (34th) is offering an alternative based on zoning requirements and environmental reviews instead of a freeze. The moratorium now heads to committee for its first vote.
Stay tuned to Chicago Urban Daily as the ordinance moves through City Council.
Reported by Chicago Urban Daily News. Visit chicagourbandailynews.com for updates.
