Mayor Brandon Johnson has officially introduced a data center moratorium ordinance, aiming to pump the brakes on these massive infrastructure projects in Chicago for the next year, the Chicago Tribune reports. Now, the ball has landed squarely in the hands of aldermen, and it’s meant to serve as a temporary cooling-off period while the city works to figure out how to manage the real concerns surrounding electricity costs, water usage, and pollution.
The mayor’s stance is pretty clear: he believes the city is “open for business,” but “not for sale.” He’s looking to strike a balance where Chicago can still chase innovation and the jobs that come with it, but he wants to ensure that growth doesn’t come at the expense of the health, safety, and quality of life for residents. As he put it, “We welcome innovation, investment and the jobs and opportunities that come with it, but growth must be done responsibly and in a way that protects the health, safety and quality of life of Chicago residents.”
