Key facts
- Chicago's mayor is demanding a moratorium on new data center developments.
- Aurora, Illinois, has implemented strict regulations and a temporary moratorium on data centers.
- Aurora's new ordinances require water, energy, and sound studies for data center applications.
- Nashville's mayor signed an executive order to support a temporary moratorium on new large-scale data centers.
- Nashville's order directs departments to study data center impacts and develop regulations.
Chicago's mayor has called for a moratorium on new data center developments amid growing public backlash. This move follows similar actions in other cities that have implemented restrictions due to concerns over environmental and community impacts.
Aurora, Illinois, has already placed strict regulations on data centers, including a previous 180-day moratorium initiated in September 2025 due to public outcry and data centers circumventing zoning laws. Initially classified as warehouses, data centers in Aurora faced increased scrutiny after the expansion of larger facilities like CyrusOne, which led to noise complaints. The city's new ordinances, enacted in March 2026, redefine data centers as conditional use facilities requiring public hearings and city council approval. These regulations also mandate water, energy, and sound studies, prohibit evaporative cooling, and require new facilities to source 25% of their peak load from on-site renewables or supplement with 50% battery storage for 15 minutes.
In Nashville, Mayor Freddie O’Connell signed an executive order in June 2026 to support a temporary moratorium on new large-scale data centers. The order directs Metro government departments to identify lawful methods for protecting the city's air, water, public spaces, and residents from potential negative impacts. The administration aims to develop a regulatory framework based on strong analysis and community well-being, working in partnership with the Metro Council.