Ohio residents continue signature collection for petition ban on data centers
Ohio residents are actively petitioning for a statewide ban on data centers exceeding 25 megawatts of electricity per month, aiming to get the measure on the November ballot. This effort is driven by concerns over government secrecy and rapid data center development, with local organizing focused in areas like Marietta and Clermont County. Organizers previously led efforts for a local six-month moratorium and continue to collect signatures despite an upcoming deadline.
Ohio residents, led by activists like Jessica Adams Baker of Clermont County and Lynn Cady of Marietta, are actively collecting signatures for a statewide ballot initiative to ban data centers consuming over 25 megawatts of electricity per month. This movement gained traction after residents discovered proposed data centers on local farmland, particularly in Waterford, and experienced what they describe as a lack of transparency from local government and developers due to nondisclosure agreements.
The coalition, which includes residents from Adams, Brown, Clermont, and Washington counties, initially sought a six-month moratorium on data center development in their communities. They aim to gather at least 413,000 validated signatures by a July 1st deadline to qualify the petition for the November ballot. Despite being far from their goal, organizers like Cady remain committed, intending to continue collecting signatures for a potential May 2027 ballot appearance if they miss the current deadline.
Concerns about the rapid, seemingly unchecked growth of data centers and insufficient government oversight were voiced during testimony meetings of the Ohio Joint Data Center Committee in Columbus. Baker criticized the committee for not addressing "urgent, difficult questions" and reiterated the community's frustration with secrecy surrounding these projects. Residents emphasize the bipartisan nature of their opposition, focusing on preserving rural landscapes and demanding transparency from officials.