Data Center Regulation

At a glance

• What: Several measures on data centers were introduced or passed on September 23, 2026. One has passed (water and energy disclosure); the moratorium proposals are in committee.
• Passed: Substitute ordinance SO2026-0027165 amends Chapter 18-14 (building energy and water benchmarking). Covered buildings now explicitly include those with a data center; the Commissioner of Water Management is to send water-use data to the Chief Sustainability Officer, who may publish it; and the committee describes the change as removing the "data center" exception from the benchmarks and performance ratings that the Chief Sustainability Officer makes public. Moved by Hadden (committee chair); passed 50 to 0.
• Executive action: Executive Order 2026-5 (received August 11, 2026; placed on file September 23) created an Interdepartmental Data Center Environment and Community Protection Task Force.
• Pending, mayoral: A city-wide one-year moratorium on permits and approvals for new or expanded data centers (O2026-0028856), transmitted by Mayor Mayor Johnson with Hadden, Robinson and Manaa-Hoppenworth. Referred to the Committee on Committees and Rules because two committees (Environmental Protection and Energy, and Zoning) were called under Council Rule 42.
• Pending, aldermanic: Sposato's ordinance (O2026-0028838) for a six-month moratorium on receiving new applications for zoning or licensing of new or substantially expanded electronic data storage centers, with a hardship route if the applicant shows it cannot earn a reasonable return.
• Pending, advisory: Vasquez's resolution to put a data center moratorium question to 40th Ward voters on February 23, 2027 (R2026-0028519), referred to Committees and Rules; and a resolution calling on the Illinois General Assembly to pass the POWER Act, House Bill 5513, on data center environmental protections, referred to Environmental Protection and Energy.

Sources

• City Council journal, September 23, 2026, Volume I: https://chicityclerk.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public-1/reports/2026_09_23%20Journal%20of%20the%20Proceedings%20Vol.%20I.pdf
• City Council journal, September 23, 2026, Volume II: https://chicityclerk.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public-1/reports/2026_09_23%20Journal%20of%20the%20Proceedings%20Vol.%20II.pdf

Log

2026-09-23 - City Council

Benchmarking amendment passed 50 to 0; moratorium and referendum proposals introduced and referred.