Ohio EPA Rejects Blanket Wastewater Permits for Data Centers

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday that it is abandoning a proposal to create a statewide general permit allowing data centers to discharge wastewater into local lakes, rivers, and streams. Originally introduced in October 2025 to streamline the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) process, the agency instead shifted to a case-by-case permitting process.

The decision followed the submission of over 7,000 public comments opposing a one-size-fits-all approach. Bipartisan opposition drove the reversal, including criticism from U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno, gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton, and Democratic opposition led by State Senator Kent Smith, alongside advocacy from the Alliance for the Great Lakes.

This regulatory shift occurs as Ohio hosts approximately 200 data centers, with 80 more planned through 2030. In a related effort to manage the industry's expansion, Governor Mike DeWine ordered the Ohio Tax Credit Authority to pause new sales tax exemption requests for prospective data centers. Additionally, several communities in the Mahoning Valley have issued or considered moratoriums on new data centers due to the facilities' high consumption of water and electricity.