Ohio Scraps Controversial Plan to Ease Data Center Wastewater Discharges
Ohio's Environmental Protection Agency decided not to proceed with a controversial general permit that would have relaxed wastewater discharge requirements for data centers across the state. The decision followed extensive public comments and aims to prevent ecological harm from untreated waste and stormwater. This move aligns with actions by several other states to implement firmer regulations on data center development.
Ohio's Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) has announced its decision to scrap a proposed general permit that would have eased wastewater discharge regulations for data centers statewide. The controversial 'one-size-fits-all' permit, introduced last October, had faced strong criticism from environmental advocates and legal experts who argued it would compromise water quality by allowing untreated waste and stormwater into waterways.
The OEPA cited the review of over 7,000 public comments, submitted by mid-January, as a critical factor in its final decision. Critics, including Helena Volzer from the Alliance for the Great Lakes and Nathan Johnson, senior attorney with the Ohio Environmental Council, expressed concerns that the proposal failed to adequately address the potential for ecological harm from chemicals like PFAS and nitrates used in data center cooling systems.
Following this cancellation, the OEPA will continue its practice of issuing individual wastewater discharge permits, ensuring a tailored review of each data center's specific environmental impact. This Ohio decision aligns with a broader trend among Great Lakes states; New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently issued a one-year moratorium on data center development, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer called for a pledge to protect freshwater resources, and Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker ended data center developers' access to tax incentives.