Serving Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood Counties
To the editor: Over the weekend, my wife and I attended two events that happened in Toledo: Picklemania and the Glass City Marathon. We were there to collect signatures for the petition to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would limit the size of data centers constructed in Ohio. Once there, we met many people who are faced with the continuing onslaught of these huge data centers in Ohio.
A total of 16 counties were represented in the signatures we collected, representing widespread concerns over the impact of these massive and resource-hungry hyperscale data centers in Ohio. These concerns mirror the many concerns we have here in Northwest Ohio.
Among those people we talked to there are common concerns over digital privacy, electricity rates, water usage, air pollution, natural gas costs, and the lack of transparency over these proposed projects.
The organizers of this petition drive have put a lot of effort into getting this initiative to this point, but the help of the public is sorely needed with the deadline of July 1st fast approaching.
There are people working hard in every county of Ohio to push this initiative to the finish line. If you believe the voters should decide whether to allow these huge data centers to gobble up thousands of acres of farmland and massive amounts of electricity and natural gas then please, find a petition collector in your county and sign the petition, or volunteer to be a collector.
It will only take two minutes of your time, and the outcome of this petition drive is vitally important to the future of the residents of Ohio. Ohio residents, not politicians, should determine the future of these massive facilities that create few permanent jobs yet consume massive amounts of power and resources.
Jim Davis
Oregon
