Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy meeting, July 13, 2026
- When: Mon, Jul 13, 2026, 12:00 PM (Chicago time)
- Where: Room 201A, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy
- Video: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/1208494812
- Transcript: full text (25,354 words, automatic captions)
Meeting notes
AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.
The Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy held a subject matter hearing on a Department of Environment report, required by SO2024-0008201, on the environmental and energy impacts of data centers in Chicago. After approving remote participation for Alderperson Silvana Tabares and the May 11, 2026 Rule 45 report, the committee heard five public commenters who raised concerns about water and energy use, diesel generators, noise, transparency and community input. Department of Environment staff presented the Sustainable Data Centers Working Group's three main recommendations (environmental permitting safeguards, zoning and land use updates, and energy and water use reporting) plus five items for further study, followed by testimony from the Citizens Utility Board, Prairie Rivers Network, Vote Solar and a Chicago data center developer. Members asked about zoning, standalone versus co-located facilities, backup power, the limits of city versus state authority, grid strain, existing facilities and pollution standards. No legislation was voted on; the chair said she was interested in introducing a reporting and transparency measure, and the meeting was adjourned.
Topics: data centers, environmental permitting, zoning and land use, energy and water use reporting, electricity costs and the grid, diesel backup generators, water use, community benefits, POWER Act
Agenda items discussed
- 8:09 Rule 59 motion to approve Alderperson Silvana Tabares remote participation: passed
- 8:31 Public comment
- 24:32 Approval of the May 11, 2026 Rule 45 report: passed
- 24:54 Subject matter hearing on the Department of Environment report on the environmental and energy impacts of data centers in Chicago (SO2024-0008201): discussed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Maria E. Hadden (chair): Introduced the hearing, explaining that the report was triggered by an ordinance on city data storage and that Chicago has about 39 data centers. (24:54); Said many people have expressed concern as technology and development move faster than legislation, and described the hearing as an opening conversation on how the city can grow without repeating past environmental harms. (28:07); Said she was very interested in moving on some of the recommendations, particularly the transparency recommendation to start gathering information. (2:45:14)
- Bennett R. Lawson (alderperson): Said he sees opportunities to regulate data center location, size and certain usages through zoning without requiring every project to go through a planned development. (1:51:41); Asked how many of the city's 39 data centers are standalone versus located within other buildings. (1:52:04); Asked what alternatives exist to diesel backup generators, noting his experience with generators outside Wrigley Field. (1:58:40)
- Julia M. Ramirez (alderperson): Asked how data center demand has grown and whether smaller facilities in various places make more sense, expressing concern about a very large facility concentrated in southwest side manufacturing districts. (2:07:35); Raised a recent ComEd communication asking West Side residents to reduce power use and asked how the city is thinking about serving vulnerable residents on the grid and what it could request from ComEd. (2:10:41); Asked whether proposed requirements would apply to existing data centers and whether existing facilities could be required to make changes if found harmful. (2:21:16)
- Ruth Cruz (alderperson): Said the panel was well balanced, including city, advocacy and industry perspectives. (2:23:51); Asked about requiring larger upfront financial commitments from data centers and the report's idea of charging industrial users more for water, and what that would mean for residents and the industry. (2:24:17); Asked which cooling technology approaches are working best for other communities and are better received by residents. (2:29:19)
- Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (alderperson): Said her lakefront ward is concerned about protecting the lakefront and about utility affordability, though it has few data centers. (2:41:55); Said it would have been helpful to have a utility company such as ComEd at the hearing. (2:42:57); Said she appreciated hearing about Illinois cities as models and was interested in opportunities such as wastewater reuse and the sustainable development framework. (2:43:10)
Exchanges between members
- 1:51:22 The chair recognized Alderperson Bennett R. Lawson for questions.
- 1:51:31 Alderperson Bennett R. Lawson thanked the chair for putting the hearing together.
- 2:07:29 The chair recognized Alderperson Julia M. Ramirez for questions.
- 2:23:43 Alderperson Julia M. Ramirez thanked the chair after her questions.
- 2:23:46 The chair recognized Alderperson Ruth Cruz for questions.
- 2:23:51 Alderperson Ruth Cruz thanked the chair and the panelists.
- 2:41:39 The chair recognized Alderperson Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth.
- 2:41:42 Alderperson Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth thanked the chair for holding the hearing.
- 2:44:30 The chair thanked Alderperson Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth for her remarks.
- 2:45:43 The chair asked Alderperson Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth whether she would join in introducing a transparency measure.
- 2:45:43 The chair asked Alderperson Ruth Cruz whether she would join in introducing a transparency measure.
- 2:46:00 The chair responded to Alderperson Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth point about ComEd, noting the utility's update at the summer preparedness hearing.
- 2:46:26 The chair referred to Alderperson Julia M. Ramirez question about investments and where data centers could be directed.