Ohio Data Center Ban Push

Ohio residents are pursuing a constitutional amendment that would prohibit data centers exceeding a stated 25-megawatt power threshold, while state lawmakers have formed a bipartisan committee to examine the effects of data center development.

Organizers reported 25,000 preliminary signatures, but the measure must obtain 413,487 valid signatures from at least half of Ohio’s counties by July 1 to reach the November ballot. The debate centers on electricity costs, land and water use, environmental effects, local benefits, and the potential economic impact of restricting new facilities.