Buckeye Institute Opposes Ohio Data Center Moratoriums

The Buckeye Institute, a non-profit policy group, released a policy paper arguing that Ohio should reject moratoriums on the construction of data centers. The institute suggests that the state should manage environmental and land-use concerns through existing local zoning rules and regulatory regimes applied to all industries.

Economic research analyst Aswin Prabhakar proposed that the state increase transparency and require developers to bear the full risks and costs of their projects, including the payment of ordinary local property taxes. This approach aims to address public concerns without halting industrial growth.

In contrast, the advocacy group Conserve Ohio is pushing for a ban on large data centers. Representative Andrew Guda argued that these developments allow large companies to acquire massive amounts of land and hinder the transition to renewable energy. Guda also claimed that the expansion of these facilities accelerates the replacement of human workers with artificial intelligence.