My town is facing a potential future where all of our wells have been sucked dry, and our energy bills have skyrocketed to offset the energy consumption of a data center that Constellation plans to build in our area. Secretive land purchases, NDAs, outright lies, and government corruption are all things we'd be better equipped to fight if our state legislature gave us the legal pathways and tools.

This struggle is not just about a single data center or a single town; it impacts countless families and communities throughout Illinois. The ongoing construction binge of data centers not only threatens our natural resources like water and energy but also our very way of life. These centers demand immense quantities of water for cooling systems and draw substantial electricity, which causes dramatic spikes in utility bills for local citizens. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, data centers are one of the most energy-intensive building types, using approximately 10 to 50 times the energy per floor space of a typical commercial office building.

Moreover, the lack of transparency and public involvement in the decision-making process concerning these data centers is alarming. Land deals cloaked in secrecy, non-disclosure agreements, and lack of strategic impact assessments undermine the democratic processes we rely on for community planning and environmental conservation.

Our state legislature needs to implement laws that mandate public consultations, environmental impact assessments, and clear reporting on the water and energy resources these data centers will consume. Necessary measures also include zoning restrictions where viable and the incorporation of technologies aimed at reducing such infrastructure's carbon footprint and resource needs.

I urge the Illinois state legislature to pass specific protections for consumers potentially facing the adverse effects of data centers in their locale. These protections would ensure regular, mandatory environmental reviews and demand absolute transparency in transactions and construction plans related to data center projects. Giving communities a real voice in the life-altering decisions impacting their homes is paramount.

Sign this petition to support the families and communities across Illinois who need legislative protection against unregulated data center expansion. Together, we can safeguard our resources and uphold the rights of our local communities.