‘We don’t want this;’ Community protests approved data center plans in Miami County | WHIO-TV

Residents in Piqua, Miami County, Ohio, are actively protesting an approved data center project in their community. The protest occurred on Tuesday afternoon outside the Piqua City Building, ahead of a city commission meeting. While the Piqua City Commission has already given its approval for the development, residents are urging them to reconsider, expressing "disgust" over the plans. Protesters voiced multiple concerns, including potential increases in electric and water rates, noise pollution, and a general sentiment of "we don't want this here." They are advocating for a moratorium on data center development in the city and demanding environmental impact studies, noting that similar actions are occurring elsewhere in Ohio. News Center 7 has been covering data center developments in the Miami Valley for months, observing Ohio's national ranking as fifth in the country for data centers. While Amazon has other data center projects in nearby Sydney and Wilmington, the specific company behind the Piqua project remains undisclosed due to a non-disclosure agreement. Urbana City Council recently paused a data center project, which protesters hope Piqua will emulate. The City of Piqua acknowledged the planned demonstration, stating it respects residents' right to peacefully assemble and express views.