Data center project team hosts Portage Co. neighbors to discuss 257-acre development
Hundreds of Portage County residents attended a community meeting in Shalersville, Ohio, to voice opposition to a proposed 257-acre data center campus. Concerns were raised about water usage, noise, and the visual impact of the development. A moratorium on data centers remains in effect until November, with a formal presentation to township trustees scheduled for June 16th.
Developers are seeking to advance plans for a major data center development in Shalersville, Portage County, Ohio. The proposed project would span 257 acres, beginning with three buildings and a capacity of 150 megawatts of power, eventually expanding to 15 buildings over five years and adding 600 more megawatts.
Hundreds of local residents packed a community informational meeting to learn about and push back against the proposed campus. Residents, including Nancy Caldwell, expressed strong opposition, citing concerns over potential impacts on water sources, noise pollution, and the destruction of local wildlife habitat. Opponents fear the large-scale development will be an "eyesore" and strain utilities, despite developers' claims of using a closed-loop water system.
Project managers indicated plans to tap into county water and sewer lines, with the initial phase consuming about 350 gallons of water per day. A moratorium on data centers is currently in place in Shalersville until November. The next step in the process is a formal presentation from the developer to the 2 Township Trustees at a public meeting scheduled for June 16th at 5:30 PM, where no decisions or public approvals are expected to be made.