Data center ban on the Ohio ballot?

Ohio Residents for Responsible Development, a grassroots organization primarily composed of southwest Ohio residents, has been given the green light by the Ohio Ballot Board to begin collecting signatures for a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at preventing the construction of new, large data centers across the state. The amendment, unanimously certified by the Ballot Board after Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost's prior certification of its petition, seeks to prohibit data centers with a peak load exceeding 25 megawatts per month, a threshold that would effectively stop most modern data center developments. Acting chairwoman Kimberly Burns, representing Secretary of State Frank LaRose who is deployed with the Ohio Army National Guard, presided over the Ballot Board meeting. Proponents, like Adams County resident Nikki Gerber, emphasized the need to conserve Ohio's natural resources and prevent escalating electricity rates, concerns echoed by committee member Andrew Gula. The Office of Ohio Consumers ' Counsel highlights that large data centers can consume as much electricity as 100,000 homes, with data center electricity usage projected to double nationally by 2030. The organization faces a tight deadline of July 1 to collect over 413,000 signatures from at least 44 of Ohio's 88 counties to qualify for the November ballot. Despite the challenge, committee member Austin Baurichter expressed confidence in their volunteer-driven efforts, which include county leaders in 46 counties and plans to gather signatures at upcoming festivals. While the amendment's applicability to data centers already under construction remains uncertain, advocates believe it would still be beneficial in preventing future developments. Separately, the Ohio House recently passed a bill to establish a data center study commission, indicating broader legislative attention to the issue.