Faver Dias, Edly-Allen Lead Push for Stronger Data Center Protections

GRAYSLAKE, Ill. – As residents continue raising questions about the proposed hyperscale data center campus planned for Grayslake, State Senator Mary Edly-Allen and State Representative Laura Faver Dias are leading the push to establish statewide protections that would ensure Illinois communities, consumers and natural resources are protected as large-scale data center development continues.

To accomplish that, the lawmakers are urging the Illinois General Assembly to pass the Illinois POWER Act (House Bill 5513), legislation that would establish the state’s first comprehensive guardrails for hyperscale data centers and would require greater transparency around electricity and water consumption, prevent residential customers and small businesses from paying for electric infrastructure built primarily to serve hyperscale data centers, and require large facilities to plan for new clean energy resources or reduce electricity demand when the electric grid is under strain. Together, these protections would help ensure Illinois remains competitive for technology investment while preventing local communities and ratepayers from shouldering unnecessary costs.

As the legislators who represent Grayslake, and who proudly call the community home themselves, Edly-Allen and Faver Dias said they have spent months listening to residents’ questions and concerns about how projects of this scale could affect utility costs, water resources and quality of life. Drawing on conversations with local residents, environmental advocates and energy stakeholders, the lawmakers said Illinois needs a clear statewide framework before additional hyperscale facilities are developed.

Both lawmakers have earned 100% ratings from the Illinois Environmental Council for their environmental voting records, reflecting a longstanding commitment to protecting Illinois’ air, water and soil while supporting responsible economic development.

“Like so many of our neighbors, I want Grayslake to continue growing and succeeding,” said Faver Dias (D-Grayslake). “But growth has to be done the right way. I’ve heard the questions families are asking about electricity, water and what this project could mean for our community. Those concerns deserve action, and the POWER Act creates the guardrails communities like ours deserve.”

While state lawmakers work to establish comprehensive safeguards, Faver Dias and Edly-Allen are also urging the Village of Grayslake to be as transparent as possible with residents throughout the development process. They are calling on village leaders to provide timely updates, clearly communicate what residents can expect as the project advances, and use the POWER Act as a guide for transparency, accountability and community engagement, even before statewide standards are enacted.

“Illinois doesn’t have to choose between economic development and environmental stewardship,” Edly-Allen (D-Grayslake) said. “We can welcome investment that directly supports property tax relief while insisting on transparency, accountability and environmental protections. That’s exactly what the POWER Act is designed to do.” 

While the proposed Grayslake campus has brought these issues into sharp focus locally, Faver Dias and Edly-Allen said every Illinois community deserves the same protections as additional hyperscale data centers are proposed across the state.

“Families deserve to know what’s happening in their own community,” Edly-Allen said. “As Grayslake residents, we have a personal stake in getting this right because we want our community to thrive. Residents must receive timely updates, meaningful opportunities to ask questions and clear information about how decisions are being made. Transparency shouldn’t begin after construction—it should be part of every step of the process. That’s why we’re urging passage of the POWER Act, which establishes clear standards to protect families, ratepayers, local resources and the quality of life that makes our communities strong.”

The lawmakers are urging the General Assembly to pass the Illinois POWER Act when it reconvenes, saying Illinois has an opportunity to become a national leader in responsible data center development by protecting consumers, safeguarding natural resources and providing communities with the certainty and accountability they deserve.