Joliet Resident Appeals to New Lenox Board Over Massive Data Center Proposal

New Lenox Village Board of Trustees Meeting | March 9, 2026

Article Summary: A Joliet resident utilized the New Lenox Village Board’s public comment period to raise alarms about an 800-acre data center proposed in neighboring Joliet, citing severe electrical grid strain and environmental concerns that could impact the broader region.

Data Center Protest Key Points:

• Public Outcry: Janet Diaz, a Joliet resident who grew up in New Lenox, spoke to the Board during the public comment period to request solidarity against the development.

• Grid Strain: Diaz warned the massive facility is projected to use as much electricity as the entire city of Chicago, potentially causing massive spikes in regional utility bills.

• Environmental Concerns: Diaz raised fears over chemical dumping and contamination of well-water sources near the borders of the two municipalities.

The New Lenox Village Board on Monday, March 9, 2026, received an impassioned plea from a neighboring resident urging the Village to stand against a highly controversial 800-acre data center currently moving through the City of Joliet’s zoning processes.

Janet Diaz, a current Joliet resident who spent her childhood in New Lenox, utilized the public comment portion of the meeting to warn Trustees that the massive technological facility could have severe, negative spillover effects for the entire region.

“They are saying it’s going to use as much electricity as all the homes in the city of Chicago, but they won’t tell us what’s going in it,” Diaz told the Board.

Diaz cited existing stress on the PJM electrical grid, warning that adding a facility with such a massive continuous power draw could result in astronomical utility hikes for standard residential customers.

“We’re hearing our electric bills could be $500 to $1,000 a month,” Diaz said. “I can’t afford that. I don’t know how if any of you can. That’s why I’m standing here. I’m hoping you’ll join us in protesting this.”

Diaz also expressed deep concern regarding the facility’s environmental impact, noting that large-scale data centers often utilize complex liquid cooling systems that carry environmental risks. She stated she was “afraid what it’s going to do” regarding chemical runoff into local well-water sources.

Diaz informed the Board that a public protest was planned for Saturday at the intersection of Larkin and Jefferson in Joliet, expressing frustration that the Joliet Plan Commission recently advanced the proposal despite hours of citizen testimony against it.

“I want to make sure that you know that I don’t think Joliet’s being a good neighbor by forcing this upon everybody,” Diaz said.

Because the matter involved a different municipality’s zoning jurisdiction, the New Lenox Board took no formal action. However, Mayor Tim Baldermann acknowledged her efforts and noted that the political tide surrounding such facilities might be shifting at the state level.

“I did see that the Governor is looking to put a halt on incentives for data centers,” Baldermann told Diaz. “I think he got the message politically that they’re not popular with a lot of people… Regardless of how anybody feels about it, we certainly always appreciate citizens that are willing to take the time out.”