Ohio EPA rejects statewide data center wastewater discharge permit
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has rejected a proposed statewide permit that would have allowed data centers to discharge wastewater into state waterways. This decision follows significant public opposition, particularly from groups like the Alliance for the Great Lakes, concerned about water quality and usage. Data centers in Ohio will now need to apply for individual discharge permits.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Tuesday that it has rejected a draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) general permit that would have allowed data centers to discharge water into state waterways. The agency cited a "significant volume of public comments" as a key factor in its decision.
This rejection means data centers, both proposed and existing, will now be required to obtain individual NPDES permits, a process described as more lengthy. Supporters of the general permit argued it would have streamlined operations and made Ohio more attractive for data center development.
Opposition to the proposed permit came from various groups, including the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a not-for-profit organization. The Alliance voiced concerns that data centers consume large amounts of fresh water and expel potentially hot and contaminated wastewater, which could endanger drinking water, public health, and aquatic ecosystems, especially within the stressed Lake Erie watershed.
Locally, some communities in the Mahoning and Shenango Valleys have already taken steps to regulate or ban data centers due to public concerns over noise, water, and electricity usage.