Max Miller voted to block states from regulating data center development
The Ohio Republican representative voted for billions of dollars in tax cuts for companies building large AI data centers.
Environment
Ohio’s 2026 governor race: Where the candidates stand on fracking
Ramaswamy touts a 15,000-acre fracking approval on public land while Acton and Kissick back a Washington County injection well moratorium over water contamination fears.
Trump administration says developers, loggers can kill endangered species
A leaked memo lets hunters, developers and loggers off the hook if killing endangered species wasn't the stated purpose of their action, experts warn.
Worker files lawsuit one year after orphan well explosion in Ohio’s Wayne National Forest
ODNR's investigation blamed Monroe Drilling for improper well control barriers on the unplugged well that killed two contractors and burned Chazz Bates.
2,776 acres of Ohio’s Wayne National Forest leased for more than $11 million for fracking
Ohio Environmental Council attorney Nathan Johnson says the sale violates environmental law and is preparing a federal court challenge over the first Wayne lease sale since 2017.
More on Environment
Fracking industry pays $11 million for first leases in Ohio’s only national forest
Five out-of-state gas companies win rights to drill under 2,800 acres of the Wayne National Forest, achieving a long-sought goal for the industry.
Trump EPA to strip greenhouse gas limits for power plants, a key Biden climate policy
Sen. Whitehouse warns the rollback could push more states to impose their own emissions limits, while Evergreen Action disputes EPA's no-climate-impact claim.
Coal-to-solar project lands a rare clean-energy win in Ohio
A new state law and reclaimed mine land helped the Vinton County project avoid the local opposition that has blocked other Ohio solar farms under a 2021 statute.
Data centers are on the November ballot in these 18 Ohio communities
One petition organizer in Piqua turned health fears from a battery plant into a mayoral recall bid after Meta proposed a 1,400-megawatt facility there.
City of Tiffin considers paying property owners up to $2,000 to prevent sewer backups
Following recent rainfall and reports of sewer backups at homes and businesses, a proposed city program would cover half the cost of installing backflow-prevention devices, up to $2,000.
Residents question tax breaks for data centers in Ohio
Data center opponents say the money from tax breaks for wealthy corporations could have funded schools or roads instead.
Developers eye Native nations, tribal communities for new data center projects
The Cherokee, Seminole and Kickapoo nations have banned data centers on tribal land, saying developers target sovereign nations to skirt state and local rules.
Who works for whom? Ohio man’s podcast explores data centers, AI.
Danny Caine's podcast finds bipartisan opposition nationwide, secret Ohio tax breaks worth $2.3 billion, and warehouse workers already monitored by GPS and biometric cameras.
As Ohio grapples with fake comments on clean energy, some want crackdown
Ohio regulators rejected a 94-megawatt solar farm despite evidence of fabricated opposition comments, and never referred the case for prosecution.
Ohio Supreme Court allows certification of out-of-state wind farms
A dissenting justice accused PUCO of clear violations of state recordkeeping law, but the 5-2 ruling still clears Avangrid to sell wind power from four noncontiguous states.
Trump administration advances plan to rescind protections for nearly 45 million wild acres
Forest Service and OSU research contradict USDA's wildfire-prevention rationale, and Earthjustice says it plans to sue to block the repeal.
‘We can no longer see the stars’: Ohioans are fighting a proliferation of data centers
‘Coughing up stuff from my lungs is an ongoing daily occurrence,’ said Joe Fuller, who works in data centers throughout Ohio.
After a 2-year wait, will Ohio’s largest solar project get the OK?
Madison County's lawyer argues the developer skipped required public review steps, while the OPSB staff says the project should be approved as is.
Ohio Supreme Court allows Ashville referendum against data center project to move forward
The ruling requires Ohio cities to justify emergency resolutions on data centers, while Pickaway County election officials still must decide if the petition qualifies.
Ohio U.S. Senate candidates offer contrasting visions for data centers
A Bowling Green poll finds 71% of Ohioans want a construction moratorium, but neither Husted nor Brown has embraced one.
