Good morning everyone - we hope that you are all staying dry today and for the duration of what looks to be a rather unpredictable week of weather ahead. 

Below is the schedule for the remaining meetings for the month of June: 
June 18th @ 6:00pm - Regional Planning Commission (1st Floor Conference Room #100), Agenda
June 25th @ 6:00pm - Zoning Board of Appeals (3rd Floor County Board Room #317), Agenda TBD

Regarding last night’s meeting - there was, rightfully, a great deal of interest in and coverage of the ongoing issues and allegations of animal abuse with Rancho La Esperanza in Rochelle.  We will go into further detail in this update as that is not what our focus is; however, if you are interested in looking into the matter yourself, we urge you to proceed with caution as the images and video footage are deeply disturbing.  

As it pertains to what this petition is about, we have some additional resources for those looking to learn more about data centers and what tools you have at your disposal, but first: for those looking to make public comment, the time allowed for speaking has become even more muddled.  Last night, the limit was down to three minutes or less.  We would encourage you to reach out to OCB leadership to ensure clarity directly from leadership on your limitations are.  We realize you may be frustrated with what looks to be some goalpost shifting and, believe us, we are right there with you.  

Please continue to show up.  Please continue to engage civically and with civility.  And carpool if you can.   

The Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) is offering the following Zoom webinar on June 29th, 2026 beginning at 12pm on the subject of “Local Control and Data Center Siting: Learn the Options Under Existing Law to Regulate Data Center Locations.”  Here, if you are interested/have the time, is the registration link: IEC Webinar June 29th @ 12pm.  

"As proposals for hyperscale data centers continue to emerge across Illinois, local governments are increasingly asking what tools they have to guide where and how these facilities are located. While state and federal policies often shape the broader landscape, municipalities and counties retain important authority through zoning, land use, and local planning processes.

Join attorney and former Illinois State Representative Steve Andersson for a discussion of the options available under existing Illinois law to regulate data center location and development. This webinar will explore the scope of local authority, common zoning and permitting approaches, legal considerations, and strategies communities can use to balance economic development with local priorities, infrastructure capacity, environmental concerns, and quality of life.

This event has been approved to offer CLE credit to Illinois attorneys.”  (There are accommodations to be made for captions/transcription, translated materials, language interpretation, and more.)

Here is an opinion piece from The Guardian we found from this past month: The fight against AI datacenters isn’t just about tech – it’s about democracy.  "Claims of nimbyism are a misunderstanding: the movement is about whether regular people have a say in fundamental decisions.”  On a rainy day, it may help to pass the time.  The last paragraph, in particular, hits the nail on the head: "The anti-datacenter movement, in other words, isn’t just about the future of a novel technology. It’s about the future of democracy. It’s about who controls the economy and whether regular people have a say in the decisions that affect them. Given how we’ve all been denied a voice in this technological upheaval, everyone should be cheering the movement on. Or better yet, joining the fight."