Conserve Ohio Pushes Statewide Data Center Ban

One thousand acres of farmland and trees in the rural exurb of Mt. Orab, Ohio, were sold to a data center developer in 2024 and 2025. The land sits directly against two-story homes in a village of 4,300 people. No construction has started yet, but residents say nondisclosure agreements have kept the project details hidden from the public.

Nick Owens, a lifelong Republican and local attorney, spent countless hours investigating the property records. He joined forces with another local attorney and a real estate agent to form Conserve Ohio. The group has mobilized volunteers across nearly all 88 counties in the state. Members include Democrats, Republicans, and Independents united by opposition to hyperscale data centers.

This fall, the coalition is leading ballot initiatives in 10 communities. These local measures would amend charters to prohibit large-scale data center construction. The group is also pursuing a statewide constitutional amendment to ban such facilities entirely. Their goal is to place the measure before Ohio voters in 2027.

Owens argues that the current approach lacks community input. "We are going to find out in ten communities whether or not the communities want them," he said. The group contends that temporary pauses adopted by hundreds of municipal and county governments are insufficient. They seek a permanent ban rather than just a delay.

The issue has become a central theme in the upcoming midterms. Former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown has labeled incumbent Republican Senator Jon Husted as the face of data centers. Brown cites Husted's past role as lieutenant governor, where he welcomed tech companies to the state. Husted has countered by accusing Brown of hypocrisy and introduced a bill in Congress requiring data centers to pay for power grid upgrades.

Senate Democrats blocked Husted's bill, calling it toothless. Husted accused Democrats of not caring or helping. Linda Moodie, an independent volunteer with Conserve Ohio, said she does not trust the statewide candidates to act correctly. She plans to vote for Brown, believing he has focused on the issue longest.

In Mt. Orab, the lack of campaign yard signs is notable. The county voted 80 percent for President Trump in 2024. Owens said the data center issue and the cost of diesel have dampened Republican enthusiasm. He described President Trump's recent social media posts, which suggested communities that reject data centers want to be poor and backwards, as tone deaf.