The Winnebago County Board of Supervisors is beginning the process of updating zoning ordinances for solar fields and data centers as well as industrial crypto facilities and battery systems that store electricity from wind turbines. A crypto-mine is already operating near Thompson, but concerns about data centers have been raised in neighboring Hancock County where a moratorium has been voted down twice. Susan Smith says she and the other Winnebago County supervisors aren’t starting from scratch.
Supervisor Terry Durby says the ordinance will address issues like water usage.
Durby says the newest data centers are using closed loop systems that recirculate water to cool the facilities. Durby will propose that the ordinance includes a reference to acceptable noise levels.
State law has noise restrictions for vehicle exhaust systems, but there are no statewide regulations for noise in cities or counties.
