Trenton group files petition to limit future data centers after collecting over 400 signatures
A Trenton, Ohio, group has filed a petition with 464 signatures to prohibit new large data centers (over 25 megawatts) within city limits, citing concerns over water use and proximity to neighborhoods and schools. This action comes as the City Council prepares to consider annexing land rumored for another potential data center project. The city will now verify the signatures to determine if the measure will appear on the November ballot.
The Woodsdale and Trenton Environmental Resistance (W.A.T.E.R.) group in Trenton, Ohio, has formally submitted a petition to the Trenton Clerk of Council, aiming to prevent the construction of new data centers larger than 25 megawatts within the city. The petition, which gathered 464 signatures against a requirement of 128, reflects ongoing community concerns that large data centers negatively impact nearby neighborhoods, schools, water resources, and infrastructure.
Barry Blankenship, a W.A.T.E.R. member, stated the group felt compelled to act due to a lack of responsiveness from the city. The petition follows months of public debate and scrutiny, intensified by the city's approval of 'Project Mila,' a data center development by Prologis, which is already under construction and would not be affected by the proposed ban.
Coinciding with the petition filing, the Trenton City Council is scheduled to review the annexation of approximately 600 acres from St. Clair and Madison townships into the city. Although not officially confirmed, this land is widely rumored to be the site for another potential data center. The city's next step involves verifying the petition's signatures to determine if the measure will qualify for the November ballot.
W.A.T.E.R. expressed ambitions to expand its advocacy beyond Trenton, working with residents in Hamilton and Middletown to initiate similar measures, with the ultimate goal of spreading such efforts across Butler County and throughout Ohio.