Nicolle Grasse
DemocraticQ1 Illinois currently has 138 data centers, with 8 underway, and plans for 29 more. Additionally, the cost of electricity and water are on the rise with nearby data centers straining current resources in combination with increased energy costs to consumers. Data centers also have several environmental and health impacts, such as significant water usage and noise pollution, which can lead to decrease in net economic gains. What policies, if any, do you support in managing existing data centers or establishing additional data centers? What specific plans do you have, if any, to mitigate utility cost burden for residents? Why these steps?
Data centers are an issue where Illinois needs to balance economic development with protecting our communities and the resources we all depend on. These facilities can bring investment and economic opportunities, but residents should not be left wondering how much water is being used, how much electricity is being consumed, or whether they are ultimately being asked to pay for the additional infrastructure. I support greater transparency and believe the state should build on proposals such as the POWER Act and data center transparency legislation that would require companies to disclose their energy and water use and give the public and regulators better information about their impact. This legislation would also require reporting on water consumption and examine the impact of data centers on utility ratepayers. I would also go a step further in discussing the need for state wide standards for responsible data centers and ensuring local electeds have the necessary information for community benefit agreements and local control.
The Governor opposes state incentives and as residents of Illinois: We must also consider how local incentives are used by municipalities. Community members should know the full cost and benefit of a proposed data center. Developers should be responsible for the infrastructure and resource demands they create, and not shift those costs onto taxpayers or communities. We should make sure communities have a meaningful opportunity to understand and weigh in on major projects that could affect their water, energy, and environment.
Q2 Research activities in Illinois heavily depend on federal funding. However, federal funding cuts for science research and agencies like the NIH and National Science Foundation leaves the future for science research less assured. What policies, if any, do you support or plan to implement to secure funding for continued science research at either the state or federal level?
I believe in advocating the Federal Government to assist with adequately funding our Scientists in Illinois. The state has made historic investments in spaces like Quantum Computing and we must continue funding our STEAM careers to build a workforce for the 21st century.
Q3 Illinois is an agricultural hub, making it an important factor for the state’s economy. What policies or plans do you have, or support, to support Illinois agriculture against changing weather patterns?
As a member of the Agriculture and Conservation Committee in Springfield, I will continue to listen to farmers and work with them, the Illinois Farm Bureau, agricultural researchers, and my colleagues from across the state to help Illinois agriculture adapt to changing weather. Our farmers are on the front lines of more extreme weather, from drought to flooding, and all of us feel the effects in food prices, our economy, and the health of our environment. I will continue to support: Soil health and conservation practices, like cover crops, that protect farmland and yields Risk protection, including crop insurance and disaster relief, that helps family farms recover from severe weather Research and technical support through our universities and extension programs, so farmers have the tools to adapt Water management and infrastructure that reduce flooding and drought damage and protect water quality
Q4 Scientific issues increasingly influence public policy. When developing policy positions or making decisions on topics involving science, how do you seek out information, evaluate scientific evidence and expert input, and ensure your decisions are well informed? If you can, please share an example of when this process influenced your perspective or decision.
I believe in listening to many sides of each argument. I have done that as a hospice chaplain throughout my career, and I bring that same listening to public policy. When a policy question involves science, I start with the evidence from peer-reviewed research/data from trusted sources such as public health agencies, universities, and nonpartisan research. I talk with the people who know the issue best, including researchers, clinicians, and the experts who testify in committee. I ask where experts agree, where they disagree, and what remains uncertain. When I serve on the House Public Health Committee, I rely on this to test each proposal against the evidence before I vote. Working on the front lines of healthcare during the AIDS crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic showed me why this matters. Policy works best when it is grounded in science and shaped by the experiences of real people, and when we stay open to new information as issues arise.
Q5 Measles and whooping cough (pertussis) cases are on the rise in Illinois, with multiple outbreaks in 2026. How have you, how do you plan to, address this public health concern? How will you plan to work with relevant stakeholders (epidemiologists, scientists, physicians, for example) to mitigate this problem?
I believe in adequately funding for our IDPH and when we have the power in Congress, to fund our health institutions. In Springfield we were briefed that a Johns Hopkins study of U.S. outbreaks estimates an average cost of $43,204 per case, rising to $58,591 per case when the public health response is included. It is an issue that each tax payer is facing and I believe in ensuring vaccines for all at a low to no cost.