Today is the day, 

The City of Dekalb will be holding the final public hearing tonight at 6PM in the Yusunas Meeting Room at the Dekalb Public Library, to consider the proposed data center. 

Both the City of DeKalb and Edged have, from my perspective, not provided sufficient information, transparency, or satisfactory public/resident engagement regarding their ‘Project Vector.

Many of us recognize potential benefits of the proposed data center, such as a small number of permanent jobs (likely 50–100 permanent jobs), potential tax revenue for Dekalb (after the 20-year agreement expires), and the projected future utility upgrades upon completion of required improvements (for the data center to use the local grid) by ComEd, it is the belief of myself and many others that these potential benefits likely will not outweigh the long-term negative impacts that this project would impose on the surrounding residents and community.

During construction, heavy machinery such as excavators, cranes, bulldozers, etc. may operate for months to years. Residents living around the edges of the site could experience frequent loud noise, especially during construction activities like pile driving. Noise decreases with distance, but residents living within a half mile will likely hear the construction (though at lower levels). Some nearby homes could potentially even experience minor shaking or vibrations from heavy equipment.

Noise from construction and ongoing generator used to power the data center until it can tap into the grid could affect our wildlife, potentially causing stress and displacement. Additionally, during the construction phase alone, loud, intermittent noise from heavy machinery can disturb and/or potentially displace sensitive species, namely the two bald eagles that live in that area year-round. Once the data center is fully operational, continued noise from day to day operations (likely lower level), noise from generators used to 'offset seasonal demand' and constant lighting at night would likely continue to discourage wildlife from potentially returning. 

Currently, no publicly available power draw estimate exists for this proposed data center, so the public has no information on exactly how much power the data center will need to pull from our power grid.  Additionally, no information has been publicly released regarding how ComEd might distribute the costs for the necessary upgrades (for the data center to use the local grid).

According to some of what information has been made available so far, the data center intends to use ‘TurboCell’ natural gas generators until the it can connect to and use our local grid. While cleaner than diesel, continuous operation of these generators could contribute to local emissions of nitrogen oxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde. Waterless, closed-loop cooling systems using propylene glycol have been confirmed during the hearing, but the potential presence of other glycols or contamination risks remain a concern, especially as questions about potential use of ethylene glycol was ignored during the hearing (it was confirmed at the hearing that propylene glycol would be used, but no confirmation or denial was made in regard to whether ethylene glycol would also be used). Residents such as myself who rely on well water and especially those without reverse osmosis filtration may be more vulnerable to any potential contamination from spills or runoff.