Richland County commissioners oppose data center plan, but cannot ban them

Richland County commissioners have again voiced their opposition to a proposed data center slated for Franklin Township, Ohio. Commissioner Tony Vero clarified that the county commissioners, not being a legislative body, do not possess the legal authority under Ohio law to impose a county-wide data center moratorium. This stance follows a request from county resident Pam Taylor, who is leading a local effort against the data center. Separately, Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry announced on April 21 that the city would not proceed with the proposed data center project, which had envisioned annexing land from Franklin Township. Perry stated that the project, initiated by EnergiAcres founder and CEO Shawn Cutter, lacked necessary definition and coordination with the community, leading to a breakdown in alignment. Mayor Perry confirmed that the city had communicated to EnergiAcres its decision to no longer pursue the development. Local opposition, including a Facebook group and a statewide petition, remains active. Pam Taylor expressed community distrust regarding the project's status despite the mayor's announcement. The statewide petition, launched by Ohio Residents for Responsible Development, seeks a constitutional amendment to prohibit data centers with peak loads exceeding 25 megawatts, aiming for the November ballot. Additionally, Ohio House Bill 646, currently in the state senate, proposes a data center study commission to establish regulations for data center construction within Ohio. The Ontario City Council, within Richland County, has already enacted a six-month moratorium on data center projects, specifically those supporting artificial intelligence.