Daily Digest — April 3, 2026
Ohio Data Center Ban Amendment Clears Ballot Board, Faces 90-Day Signature Drive
The Ohio Ballot Board unanimously approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban data centers requiring more than 25 megawatts of power statewide, according to multiple local outlets including Signal Akron, WKYC, and WBNS 10TV. The board confirmed the measure addresses a single subject, the final legal step before a signature drive can begin.
The grassroots group behind the effort, Ohio Residents for Responsible Development, originated from residents in Brown and Adams counties near Cincinnati who organized to oppose a local data center project. Supporters cite concerns over:
- Escalating electricity rates
- Acquisition of agricultural land
- Increased property taxes from inflated property values
- High water usage
The campaign must now collect 413,487 valid signatures from voters in at least 44 of Ohio's 88 counties by July 1 to place the amendment on the November ballot. As WKYC reported, attorney Austin Baurichter, a co-author of the petition, expressed confidence in meeting the target, while State Sen. Bill DeMora (D-Columbus) was skeptical, noting the difficulty even for large political parties to gather that volume of signatures in the timeframe.
The Data Center Coalition's Vice President of State Policy Dan Diorio issued a statement opposing the measure, warning that a statewide moratorium would "discourage further investment, undermine Ohio's economic momentum, and signal that Ohio is closed for business," according to WBNS 10TV.
Long-shot Ohio data center ban clears first hurdle, heads to signature drive
Signal Akron
Some Ohioans want to ban big data centers. They now have 90 days to get 400,000 signatures
WKYC
Grassroots campaign clears another hurdle in effort to ban large data centers in Ohio
WBNS 10TV
Grassroots group aims to ban data centers in Ohio
WBNS 10TV
Ohio data center ban effort faces key vote from ballot board
WTOL11
HMC StratCap Withdraws Monterey Park Data Center Proposal After Community Backlash
HMC StratCap, a subsidiary of Australian firm DigiCo Infrastructure REIT, has officially withdrawn its application for a proposed data center in Monterey Park, California, as reported by LAist and the Los Angeles Times. The withdrawal follows months of intense community opposition over environmental and energy concerns.
The developer had invested approximately $40 million in the site and become Monterey Park's largest landowner. Residents organized through groups including No Data Center MPK and San Gabriel Valley Progressive Action, voicing concerns about:
- Projected energy consumption three times that of the entire city
- Pollution and health risks
- Noise impacts
- Effects on property values
According to LAist, the Monterey Park City Council had approved a temporary moratorium on data center development and greenlit a June 2 special election for Measure NDC, a ballot initiative that would ban data centers in the city by public vote. HMC StratCap's March 31 letter cited new restrictive regulations and the upcoming ban vote as reasons for withdrawal, and stated the company will not contest the ballot proposition.
Local organizers are continuing advocacy for Measure NDC and a separate permanent ban ordinance the City Council is expected to vote on. They have also expanded efforts to oppose a battery energy storage system in the nearby City of Industry, which they suspect could facilitate future data center development, as LAist reported.
Jones County, Georgia Residents Sue Over Data Center Zoning After Developer Influence Revealed
Residents of Jones County, Georgia, have filed a lawsuit alleging illegal zoning practices related to data center development after open records requests revealed extensive behind-the-scenes coordination between developer Eagle Rock Partners, its engineering firm Thomas & Hutton, and county officials, according to the Macon Telegraph.
Emails showed the developer editing proposed legislative text regulating data centers and coordinating application and vote timelines with county staff. Jones County Planning and Zoning Director Tim Pitrowski reportedly presented multiple versions of a data center amendment to commissioners, including one influenced by the developer that bypassed stronger environmental impact study requirements recommended by a Planning and Zoning Board member.
The sequence of events included:
- Eagle Rock Partners filing an application to rezone 600 acres under a developer-influenced amendment
- The developer subsequently withdrawing its application
- Commissioners rescinding the original amendment after residents highlighted legal issues
- A new amendment passed in January allowing data centers as conditional uses in M-2 industrial zones
- Residents filing suit in February alleging spot zoning, contract zoning, and procedural violations
The Georgia Department of Community Affairs' temporary pause on Development of Regional Impact reports for data centers was cited as a factor incentivizing the developer to expedite approvals. Similar issues were reported in neighboring Twiggs County, which faces its own lawsuit over an Eagle Rock Partners-backed project.
Washtenaw County, Michigan Officials Push for Data Center Moratoriums Amid Township-Level Conflicts
The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution on March 18 formally supporting local municipalities in enacting data center moratoriums, as reported by The Sun Times News. Commissioner Jason Maciejewski championed the measure, citing a "lack of information" and the "fast moving" nature of data center proposals.
Beth Gibbons, director of the Washtenaw County Resiliency Office, noted repeated concerns from residents and officials regarding transparency, energy demand, water use, noise, light pollution, ground disturbance, and long-term accountability.
The county's townships are at various stages of data center disputes:
- **Saline Township:** A developer sued after a rezoning denial in September 2025, resulting in an October 2025 consent judgment allowing the project with conditions. The Planning Commission directed drafting of a six-month industrial zoning moratorium in February.
- **Ypsilanti Township:** The Township Board adopted a resolution in late March formally opposing a proposed "world-class supercomputing research center" linked to the University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory, calling it a "clear and present danger" to local infrastructure.
- **Augusta Township:** Trustees approved rezoning for a $1 billion data center despite opposition over noise and industrialization.
