Ohio EPA Rejects Blanket Wastewater Permits for Data Centers

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency announced on July 21 that it is abandoning a proposal to create a statewide general permit for data centers to discharge wastewater into lakes, rivers, and streams. Originally introduced in October 2025 to streamline the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System process, the plan sought a one-size-fits-all model that critics argued would have reduced public participation and relaxed environmental requirements.

The agency reversed its position after receiving over 7,000 public comments and facing bipartisan political pressure. Opponents, including U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno and gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton, warned the permit could lead to thermal pollution and harmful algal blooms, potentially undermining the state's H2Ohio program. The agency determined that a case-by-case permitting process is the most appropriate path to ensure rigorous environmental standards and specific chemical measurements for each facility.

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 growth, Governor Mike DeWine ordered the Ohio Tax Credit Authority to pause new sales tax exemption requests for prospective data centers. Several communities in the Mahoning Valley have also considered or issued moratoriums due to the high water and electricity consumption of these facilities.