Data centers are expanding rapidly across the Great Lakes region, bringing new questions about how these facilities could affect our water. From the amount of water they use to the wastewater they discharge, communities and decision-makers are grappling with how to support economic development without putting our water resources at risk.
In Ohio, one recent proposal raised serious concerns. Earlier this year, Ohio EPA proposed a new general permit that would have made it easier for data centers to discharge wastewater into Ohio’s rivers, streams, and Lake Erie under a “one-size-fits-all” permit with minimal oversight.
Wastewater from data centers can be hot and contaminated with pollutants. The proposed permit threatened to weaken water protections and put drinking water, public health, and aquatic ecosystems at risk, especially in the Lake Erie watershed, which is already under stress from nutrient pollution and harmful algal blooms.
So, we got to work.
We partnered with other nonprofits to raise the alarm in media interviews, on webinars, and at speaking engagements. We delivered detailed comments against the proposal to Ohio EPA. We created an action alert to help Ohioans voice their concerns about the proposal, and we asked everyone who took action to share the alert with friends.
Ohio EPA was flooded with requests to withdraw the proposed permit. Our supporters and their networks alone sent more than 200 comments. The proposal received more than 7,000 comments, the vast majority of them negative.
Last month, Ohio EPA announced they were withdrawing the proposed general permit. For now, data centers that want to directly send wastewater into Ohio waters will be required to obtain individual, site-specific permits – and Ohioans will be able to weigh in on wastewater permits that affect their own communities.
Building momentum to protect waters across the Great Lakes region
The Ohio victory is just one part of a larger effort to protect waters across our region from large data centers.
- Last August, we released a groundbreaking report that showed the Great Lakes region isn’t prepared for increasing water use demands from data centers and other large water users. We called for transparency in water use decisions and policy solutions that support economic development while protecting our waters. The report sparked media interviews, speaking engagements, and conversations with legislators, regulators, and nonprofit partners across the region.
- In March, we released a guide to help residents, concerned citizens, grassroots organizations, and local leaders make sense of the impacts of water-intensive data center development. Communities across the Great Lakes region have used the information and checklists in this playbook as they evaluate how proposed data center development could impact their communities.
- We’ve been working to pass Illinois’ POWER Act, a bill that would establish a framework for more sustainable data center water use in Illinois. We worked with partners to draft the bill, met with General Assembly and Governor’s Office leadership, testified in support to the Illinois House Executive Committee, and submitted numerous testimonies as the bill moved through the chambers. We also provided an action alert that helped hundreds of our supporters urge their legislators to pass this important legislation. The Governor of Illinois has adopted many of the core policy solutions within the POWER Act. The POWER Act is now a top priority for the Governor and General Assembly. The act will be debated during the fall veto session, and your support will be critical to help it get across the finish line.
- We’ve been hard at work in Ohio, advocating to ensure that any legislation enacted protects water quality and quantity in a meaningful way. In May, the Ohio Governor paused tax incentives for data centers while a select legislative committee considers legislation that proposes water use reporting and water quality monitoring requirements. We testified at the statehouse and continue to engage with partners on this legislation to ensure it effectively protects our water resources. This bill will be considered again in the fall, and your continued support and engagement will be so important.
- Regulations, technology, and public awareness around water and data centers have been changing rapidly. We continue to support advocacy across the Great Lakes states and analyze emerging trends and research. In the coming months, we’ll provide updates on the latest on data centers in our region.
How you’re making it happen
Momentum is growing to protect our water from large data centers. And you’re making it happen. Thank you to the donors whose generosity supports our research, writing, and outreach. Thank you to all the Ohio supporters who told Ohio EPA to withdraw the bad permit. Thank you to all the Illinois supporters who ask their state legislators to pass the POWER Act. And thank you to everyone who’s shared information about water risks from large data centers.
We have much more work ahead of us. When we work together for our waters, we can secure lasting and durable impact and victories.