Ramaswamy proposes moratorium and regulations for Ohio data centers
Vivek Ramaswamy, a political candidate, proposed a moratorium on new data center projects in Ohio until new legislation is passed. He outlined commitments including lower electricity bills for residents, no property tax abatements for developers, stringent environmental standards for water and air, and the use of abandoned industrial sites over farmland.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a political candidate, announced a series of firm commitments aimed at addressing the public's concerns regarding data centers in Ohio, stating the industry has done a "horrific job" of earning public trust. Ramaswamy proposed that if elected governor, he would sign an executive order on day one to halt all new data center project announcements in the state until new legislation is enacted.
He outlined four core commitments for this legislation. First, residents, particularly those near data centers, would see lower or even zero electricity bills. Second, there would be no property tax abatements for data center developers; instead, tax savings would be rebated directly to residential property owners in the affected county or community. Third, strict environmental safeguards would mandate that water used by data centers must be returned at least as clean as it entered, along with maintaining air quality standards. Fourth, new data centers must be built on abandoned industrial sites rather than fertile farmland.
Ramaswamy also suggested "vegetative insulation," such as planting trees, around data centers to mitigate sound and visual impact, particularly in scenic areas like Geauga County. He emphasized his role as governor would be to fight for Ohioans' quality of life and preserve the state's natural resources and farmland, asserting that Ohio is not a "dumping ground."