Ohio weighs NDA ban after village's confidential data center talks

Mount Orab village leaders are under scrutiny for agreeing to keep discussions confidential regarding a potential mega data center site. The project, involving a 1,000-acre site purchased by DB STU LLC (tied to Corporation Services Company of Delaware), was subject to non-disclosure agreements signed by various local entities, including the village council, Brown County Rural Water Association, Western Brown Local Schools, and the Southwest Ohio Regional Development Authority. This lack of transparency led to frustrated residents packing village board meetings and prompted Ohio Rep. Adam Bird to propose House Bill 695, co-sponsored by Rep. Brian Stewart, which would ban elected officials from signing NDAs in their official duties and impose a $1,000 civil fine. Bird emphasized the importance of transparent government, while Stewart argued that NDAs violate the spirit of Ohio's open meetings and public records laws. In response to the public pressure, the Mount Orab village council unanimously voted on March 3 to enact a 180-day moratorium on all data center developments. The article also notes broader concerns across Ohio about data center impacts, including farmland use, noise, energy demand, and water consumption, with state lawmakers considering a bipartisan commission to study these issues and more than a dozen related bills in the Ohio Legislature.