Chillicothe demands transparency as data center details emerge amid NDA scandal
Residents in Chillicothe, Ohio, are demanding transparency regarding a proposed data center at the former Pixelle paper plant, now owned by U.S. Paper Mill LLC. A local city councilman refused to sign an NDA to tour the site, raising concerns among residents. A community meeting is being held as the city's 60-day data center moratorium is nearing its end.
Residents and local officials in Chillicothe, Ohio, are demanding greater transparency about a proposed data center slated for the former Pixelle paper plant, now under the ownership of U.S. Paper Mill LLC. Concerns are mounting among neighbors, including Toya Jones, who feel they are not receiving adequate information about the project that will be located just blocks from their homes.
Chillicothe City Councilman Gunnar Barnes stated he was invited to tour the potential site but declined to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), believing he was elected by the people, not by companies. He later received an email claiming the NDA request was a mistake, but he had been told in person that he would not be able to fully tour the facility without signing it.
A public meeting is scheduled at Chillicothe High School for residents to seek answers about the data center's future. Councilman Barnes noted the urgency of the situation, as the city is racing against the expiration of its current 60-day data center moratorium. U.S. Paper Mill LLC did not respond to requests for comment regarding the matter.