Ohio lawmakers announce new data center committee

Ohio lawmakers gathered at the statehouse to announce a new Joint Data Center Committee formed to address the rapid growth of data centers in the region. The committee aims to provide answers regarding the impact of data centers on the economy, environment, and security. Following the announcement, WBNS 10TV's Ava Hedges spoke with residents in the Lockbourne community, many of whom live near a Google data center development. Cody Ridge, who moved to the neighborhood in 2023, shared concerns about constant truck beeping and diesel emissions, stating the development "completely ruins the sunset." Another resident, Renee Sims, living there since 2018, noted the loss of a scenic backyard view and questioned the committee's stated mindfulness of wildlife, recalling that the data center was built on a former farm. Both residents expressed a desire for no more data centers in their area. While residents believe the committee's information will be helpful for education, they still oppose further data center expansion. The committee's first meeting is scheduled for May 27th in Columbus, though an official timeline for information dissemination has not been set. Meanwhile, a key deadline approaches on July 1st for a group in Ohio pushing to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would ban additional data centers. The group needs over 400,000 signatures in a few weeks to meet this deadline.