Data Center Ban Won’t Be on Ohio Ballot as Franklin Furnace Project Moves Forward

Conserve Ohio, a grassroots organization, has announced a delay in its efforts to place a statewide data center ban on Ohio's ballot, now targeting the 2027 general election instead of this year. The group, which has collected over 70,000 signatures, cited an inability to meet the current deadline but pledged to continue its community action against large-scale data center development across the state.

This delay means Google's proposed data center campus in Franklin Furnace, Scioto County, can proceed with its existing approval processes. Google has already secured a Community Reinvestment Area tax abatement from the Scioto County Commissioners for the potential $1 billion investment and is continuing environmental reviews, permitting, and community engagement, including a recent public information session. While supporters highlight potential construction and job benefits, critics remain concerned about water and electricity consumption, environmental impacts, and the long-term economic benefits for local residents.

Concurrently, Ohio's state legislature is debating several proposals to regulate future data centers. Notably, House Bill 646 aims to reduce sales tax exemptions for qualifying data center projects from 100% to 50%, though existing agreements with companies like Google, Meta, and Amazon would be unaffected. The broader debate on data center growth, infrastructure, and environmental concerns continues throughout Ohio, with many communities enacting temporary moratoriums while grappling with development impacts.