Daily Digest — May 18, 2026
Ohio Lawmakers Form Bipartisan Data Center Committee
Ohio legislators are establishing a new bipartisan committee dedicated to data center development issues in the state, according to the Ohio Capital Journal. The committee is scheduled to begin meeting this month. As reported by WBNS 10TV, the formation follows complaints from Central Ohio residents who have raised concerns about a Google data center being constructed adjacent to their homes.
Cleveland Bars Data Centers from New Industrial Park, Considers Moratorium
Cleveland officials have announced that data centers will not be permitted within The Midline, a new 350-acre industrial park on the city's East Side designated for high-tech manufacturing, according to Signal Cleveland. Council President Blaine Griffin and Mayor Justin Bibb have stated the city plans to implement zoning guardrails to keep large data facilities away from neighborhoods and job creation areas.
The announcement follows Cleveland's recent rejection of a permit for a $1.6 billion data center in Slavic Village. City Council has also introduced legislation to enact a moratorium on new data centers until May 2027, providing time to develop a comprehensive strategy for managing data center development.
60+ Groups Petition New Jersey Governor for Statewide Data Center Moratorium
More than 60 environmental, labor, and community organizations across New Jersey have formally petitioned Governor Mikie Sherrill to impose an immediate moratorium on all data center projects in the state, as reported by New Jersey 101.5 and NJ.com. The coalition sent a letter to the governor warning of "irreversible harm" to New Jersey communities.
The groups cite concerns including:
- High electricity consumption contributing to rising utility rates
- Environmental impact on surrounding communities
- A need for thorough assessment before further approvals proceed
The request represents a shift from the previous Murphy administration, which actively encouraged data center development. Governor Sherrill has not yet responded. A New Jersey 101.5 radio segment also explored what such a moratorium would mean for the state.
Pennsylvania Data Center Developer Challenges Zoning Ordinance as Power Plant Hearings Continue
Dickson City Development LLC is challenging Dickson City, Pennsylvania's data center zoning ordinance through both a land use appeal filed March 13 in Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas and proceedings before the borough's zoning hearing board, according to the Scranton Times-Tribune. The firm, affiliated with Kriger Construction Inc., argues the borough's regulations are exclusionary and is appealing previous denials of applications for four data centers on Bell Mountain.
Concurrently, Essential Energy LLC — linked to Kriger Construction's president Jim Marzolino and vice president David Stiles — attended a second conditional use hearing before the Archbald Borough Council on May 16. Key details of the interconnected proposals:
- A 400-megawatt natural gas power plant on Eynon Jermyn Road in Archbald
- A proposed 620,000-square-foot data center ("Project Boson") across the street from the plant
- Opponents have raised concerns about insufficient detailed information and environmental studies
