Ohio Attorney General certifies ‘Prohibition of Construction of a Data Center’ proposal

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has certified a ballot proposal that seeks to impose strict size and energy consumption limits on new data center construction across the state. The measure, dubbed "Prohibition of Construction of a Data Center," would prohibit facilities larger than 25 megawatts in peak energy load and occupying more than 5,000 square feet. This certification allows the proposal to proceed to the signature-gathering phase, requiring 780,000 voter signatures by the end of August to qualify for the November ballot. The Ohio Coalition for Responsible Development is spearheading the campaign, arguing that the existing 200 data centers in Ohio are sufficient. Barry Blankenship, a member of the coalition, stated that the initiative arose after local officials failed to address resident concerns regarding data center expansions. He defended the 25-megawatt limit as adequate for typical consumer needs like cell phone and laptop usage. The push for the statewide measure follows several local disputes, notably in the Miami Valley. As an example, a court in Clinton County issued a temporary restraining order, preventing the city of Wilmington from moving forward with the approval process for a proposed Amazon data center. Amazon also has plans for another facility in Shelby County, highlighting the broader context of data center growth in the region.