It should go without saying: our drinking water is more important than big tech profits. But now, the Ohio EPA is considering a blanket approval for all 200+ current and future data centers that would allow them to dump their pollution directly into our waterways – even bypassing local treatment plants.

This is nothing short of a dangerous move that could have disastrous consequences for the health of our families, our communities, and our rivers and streams moving forward.

TELL THE OHIO EPA: NO GENERAL WASTEWATER PERMIT FOR DATA CENTERS!

We’re not convinced that this permit would protect us from cancer-causing “forever chemicals,” or PFAS, in our water. Data centers frequently use PFAS in their data center cooling systems – yet they aren’t even mentioned in this general permit. We don’t want Big Tech endangering our drinking water or shifting the costly cleanup onto us!

Our state already has over 200 data centers, with new facilities being proposed every day. This fast-track permit would grant the same standards to all data centers — regardless of size or output. This is NOT a “one permit fits all” situation; data centers should be regulated individually based on their actual impact.

Even the permit itself states up front that it will cause the “lowering of water quality.” Ohio is NOT a dumping ground – and letting Big Tech treat it that way won’t bring about a prosperous future, just more big problems.

*** Send a comment by Friday, January 16 at 5pm to tell the Ohio EPA: invest in community health, not corporate greed! Reject this general wastewater permit for data centers and protect the health of Ohioans for generations to come.