COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two state lawmakers say Ohio communities need clearer information about the rapid expansion of data centers across the state — including both the economic benefits and potential drawbacks.
State Reps. Gary Click, R-Sandusky County, and Kellie Deeter, R-Norwalk, have introduced legislation to create a bipartisan Data Center Study Commission. The proposed panel would examine how large-scale data center projects affect local communities before development decisions are finalized.
The lawmakers say the goal is to provide local officials and residents with reliable, balanced information as projects increasingly move beyond major metro areas into rural Ohio.
“In my rural district of 33 townships, residents are raising serious concerns about greenfield development and the loss of productive farmland,” Deeter said.
Land use has become one of the primary concerns in rural communities, where large data center campuses can require hundreds of acres. Lawmakers say residents have also expressed questions about environmental impacts, water consumption, noise levels, and the types of power generation facilities companies may seek to build nearby.
“There’s just a lot of angst,” Click said. “Rather than try to litigate this all over the state, I think what would be helpful for everyone is to put together a study commission, hold hearings and get some facts on the table.”
Under the proposal, the commission would operate for 120 days and include 13 members. The Ohio House Speaker, Ohio Senate President and governor would each appoint three members, while the House and Senate minority leaders would appoint one member each.
According to a 2025 report from the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Ohio currently has 85 data center facilities housing 179 individual data center units.
Industry leaders often describe a data center facility as similar to a neighborhood — with multiple buildings working together to power cloud computing, artificial intelligence and other online services.
While early development largely centered around Ohio’s largest metropolitan regions, recent projects have expanded into more rural parts of the state, intensifying debate over how the facilities fit into local landscapes and long-term planning efforts.
Lawmakers say the proposed commission would aim to bring clarity to that debate by gathering testimony, studying impacts, and delivering recommendations to state leaders.
