Ohio Data Center Permit Sparks Concerns Over Water Quality Standards
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) drafted permit for data center wastewater discharge is facing scrutiny from environmental advocates and residents who fear it could lead to diminished water quality across the state. The permit, currently open for public comment until January 16, 2026, aims to streamline the approval process for these facilities, but critics argue it prioritizes economic development over environmental protection.
The proposed regulations establish specific limitations on data center discharges. Facilities would be prohibited from releasing water that “exhibits the reasonable potential” to violate Ohio’s minimum water quality standards. Additionally, any discharged water failing to meet public water supply standards cannot be released within 500 yards of a public water intake. Discharges are restricted to Lake erie and are forbidden in groundwater supplies, and must be free of significant levels of volatile organic compounds.
The Ohio EPA maintains the permit is designed to clarify expectations for environmental compliance. “Anyone looking to develop a data center in Ohio would have a very good idea of what the expectation for environmental compliance in terms of discharge to surface waters would be,” explained Walter Arris, an environmental engineer with the agency’s Division of Surface Water. Though, a key point of contention centers on language within the EPA’s documentation stating that “a lowering of water quality of various waters of the state” might potentially be “necessary to accommodate critically important social and economic development.”
This phrasing ignited strong reactions during a public input meeting on Wednesday. One resident, who identified himself as having worked on public water quality initiatives for Buckeye Lake, dismissed the statement as “total bull.” “This says ‘They’re allowed to pollute the water,'” he asserted, questioning the EPA’s role in environmental protection. His concerns were echoed by approximately a dozen other commenters, highlighting fears about the potential for wastewater discharges to harm ohio’s waterways.
Following the meeting, Arris clarified that the general permit doesn’t authorize unchecked pollution. He emphasized that data centers must demonstrate adequate wastewater treatment to qualify for the permit or pursue an individual permit with possibly stricter limits.He further stated that the general permit establishes “super restrictive” water quality standards aligned with the Ohio EPA’s existing regulations.
Currently, the majority of data centers in Ohio are located in central Ohio and utilize public sewer systems to manage their considerable wastewater volume. This system, however, is placing a strain on stormwater treatment plants and limiting expansion opportunities. The Ohio EPA has observed a growing number of inquiries from developers seeking locations outside of central ohio, prompting the need for a more comprehensive permitting framework.
One such project, dubbed “Project Mila,” is planned for a 141-acre site in Trenton, Butler County. The city recently sold the land to Prologis, a real estate developer, for $7.7 million in mid-october. A Trenton resident, Barry Blankenship, is leading an effort to block the project through a city-wide referendum and voiced his opposition to the state’s drafted permit. “What that draft said in there… says that data centers have carte blanche to do whatever they want to,” Blankenship claimed.
The public now has until January 16, 2026, to submit written comments on the drafted permit via the Ohio EPA’s website.The agency will then review the feedback and issue a response,with Ohio EPA Director John Logue ultimately…
