Could a New Illinois Bill Be a Blueprint for Curbing Data Centers’ Climate Impacts?

CHICAGO—A new Illinois bill seeks to rein in power- and water-hungry data centers’ impacts on residents and get the state back on track to meet its climate goals.

The speed of the data center boom has outpaced calls for national regulations, leaving the industry largely unchecked as its climate impacts grow: A study from November predicted that U.S. data centers could consume as much water as 10 million Americans and match the carbon dioxide emissions of 10 million cars by the end of this decade.

That paired with rising consumer electric bills in a number of places with data-center growth has prompted calls for a moratorium on the industry’s expansion while more research is done. Meanwhile, local communities are fighting back against data centers proposed in their backyards, and states from New York to Georgia are considering legislation to mitigate the devel