Johnson Creates Task Force to Regulate Chicago Data Centers

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order Tuesday directing a new task force to tighten regulations on the city’s rapidly expanding data‑center industry. The order follows a wave of protests from environmental‑justice groups who argue that the industry’s energy use, heat output and water consumption threaten local neighborhoods. The task force will study zoning, building codes, and energy‑efficiency standards, and will report recommendations to the city council by the end of the year.

Data centers have become a major source of greenhouse‑gas emissions and local heat in Chicago. The city’s cold climate and robust fiber‑optic network make it a prime location for firms that store and process digital data, but the facilities draw massive amounts of electricity—often from coal‑ or natural‑gas‑powered plants—and release heat that can raise neighborhood temperatures by several degrees. In 2023, Chicago’s data‑center sector consumed more electricity than the city’s combined residential and commercial sectors, according to the Chicago Climate Action Plan. Residents in low‑income neighborhoods have reported higher cooling costs and increased air‑conditioning usage, while local health groups warn that rising temperatures can exacerbate respiratory illnesses. Nationally, lawmakers and tech companies have begun to pressure municipalities to adopt stricter environmental standards, and Chicago’s move is one of the first city‑wide attempts to address these concerns.

The task force will meet with industry representatives, city planners, and community leaders to draft a set of regulations that could include mandatory carbon‑offset credits, heat‑recovery systems, and limits on water usage for cooling. The mayor’s office says the goal is to align the data‑center industry with the city’s net‑zero emissions target of 2045. The council is expected to vote on the task force’s proposals in the spring, after which the city could enact ordinances requiring new data‑center projects to meet higher energy‑efficiency standards or to retrofit existing facilities. If approved, the regulations would set a precedent for other major cities grappling with the environmental footprint of digital infrastructure.