Toronto

Chicago Tribune readers responded to a proposal, floated by mayoral candidate Joe Holberg, to cool data centers using coolant loops laid in Lake Michigan, potentially spanning miles along the lakebed. Letter writers raised concerns about environmental impact, heat transfer into the lake, and effects on fish and water quality, with several calling Holberg's heat-exchange analogies oversimplified. Others noted the appeal of siting data centers on former industrial land but questioned whether Chicago's electrical grid can support multiple large facilities without raising residents' utility bills.

Several letters urged further independent study, including a published water and environmental assessment, before any construction begins. Writers pointed to comparable cooling concepts tied to Toronto and Cornell University as reference points worth examining. The exchange reflects broader tension in cities weighing data center growth against capacity constraints, environmental review requirements, and public costs — factors that could shape permitting timelines and local political races as the issue moves toward the 2026 budget cycle.

The Port of Oswego Authority says it will not recognize President Donald Trump's executive order renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America," part of his broader trade dispute with Canada. Executive Director Tom Drumm called the change a symbolic gesture that "doesn't move freight" and risks straining relations with Canada, the port's largest trading partner. The Port of Oswego is New York's only state-run Lake Ontario port and the first U.S. stop for ships from the St. Lawrence Seaway, handling about 120 ships and 100,000 metric tons of aluminum annually.

The port joins a growing list of local holdouts, including the Oswego County Legislature, Rochester's port and city council, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and other officials who continue using "Lake Ontario." Google Maps and Apple Maps have adopted the new name, while the Associated Press and MapQuest have refused, with MapQuest seeing a download surge. Drumm noted the port receives no direct federal funding but does rely on federal grants, acknowledging the stance could carry risks amid already strained trade conditions affecting local jobs and shipping.