Niles residents, councilmen raise concerns over proposed data center

Hundreds of Niles residents gathered at a City Council meeting to voice strong opposition to a proposed data center on Belmont Avenue, a project by Singapore-based BitDeer. The company had requested the City of Niles to partially annex a portion of Weathersfield township, with a plan to share tax revenue generated by the facility. Residents, including Paige Nealer and Jessica Gardner, expressed worries about the data center's impact on their water supply, the local power grid's capacity, and environmental effects, suggesting that the city's infrastructure might not handle multiple such facilities. BitDeer North America representatives, including Senior Project Manager Paul Hanson and Tax and Energy Consultant Robert Peña, presented to the Council, attempting to address concerns. Hanson stated the data center would use a sewer system for water disposal and would not tap into the city's power grid. Peña demonstrated noise reduction capabilities with a video of their Massillon facility, featuring a sound barrier wall. Despite BitDeer's presentation, City Council members maintained concerns about the project's proximity to residential areas and its water sourcing. City Council President Doug Sollitto emphasized that financial incentives are not always the answer when community health and well-being are at stake. In response to the growing opposition and unanswered questions, 2nd Ward Councilman Aaron Johnstone proposed a six-month moratorium on any votes related to the data center, intending to draft the proposal for a future meeting. Residents are advocating for a public referendum to allow the community to decide on the project's approval.