Across Ohio, voters delivered decisive victories for local ballot measures aimed at curbing hyperscale data center developments, while unseating municipal officials who had supported the projects.

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Ohio featured more data center-related questions on the ballot than any other state in the nation. The pushback comes as more than 200 data center projects are planned or under construction statewide, giving Ohio the fifth-highest project count in the country.

In central Ohio, voters in Sunbury approved a ban on large facilities with 79% of the vote. In northeast Ohio, voters in Perry approved restrictions with 87% support.

Western and southwestern Ohio communities also saw sweeping results. In Trenton, voters approved an amendment to the city charter banning data centers exceeding 25 megawatts by an 80% margin. In Piqua, an amendment banning data centers larger than 25 megawatts of peak power demand passed with 67% support, while voters also recalled three city commissioners with at least 70% of the vote.

In Urbana, voters approved a charter amendment prohibiting data centers exceeding 7.5 megawatts of peak power demand with 77% of the vote. Residents there also recalled Mayor Bill Bean with 73% in favor.

Community members and organizers cited concerns over rising energy costs, heavy electricity and water consumption, noise, pollution, and a perceived lack of transparency from local governments. Barry Blankenship, who helped organize resistance in Trenton, said the results demonstrated that “when the power of the people comes together, we can beat money and we can beat big tech.”

Advocates are now seeking to expand the push statewide. The organization Conserve Ohio is working to bring charter amendments to more municipalities while collecting signatures for a statewide petition to amend the Ohio Constitution to prohibit large-scale data center construction.

Industry proponents argue that halting development will harm local economies. According to a study by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation, $40 billion has been and will be invested in Ohio data centers through 2030, bringing tax revenue and jobs that business leaders say communities could forfeit under strict limits.

All election totals remain unofficial until confirmed by each county’s Board of Elections.

Source: WOSU — Original report

Wararka Af-Soomaaliga

Codbixiyeyaasha Ohio oo Mamnuucay Xarumaha Xogta Mas’uuliyiinna Eryay

Codbixiyeyaasha gobolka Ohio ayaa si aqlabiyad leh ugu codeeyay go’aanno maxalli ah oo lagu xaddidayo dhismaha xarumaha baaxadda weyn ee kaydinta xogta kombuyuutarrada (data centers). Dadweynaha deegaanka ayaa isla markaasna xilalka ka xayuubiyay dhowr mas’uul oo ka tirsanaa maamullada magaalooyinka oo taageeray mashaariicdaas.

Gobolka Ohio ayaa doorashooyinkii dhowaan dhacay ku lahaa tiradii ugu badnayd ee qodobbada la xiriira xarumaha xogta marka la barbardhigo gobollada kale ee dalka Mareykanka oo dhan. Diidmada dadweynaha ayaa timid xilli in ka badan 200 oo mashruuc oo xarumaha xogta ah ay qorsheysan yihiin ama dhismahoodu ka socdo gobolka, taas oo Ohio ka dhigaysa gobolka shanaad ee ugu tirada badan dalka.

Natiijooyinka codbixinta ee guud ahaan gobolka ayaa muujiyay sida dadweynuhu uga soo horjeedaan xarumahan. Magaalada Sunbury oo ku taalla bartamaha Ohio ayaa 79% codbixiyeyaashu ku mamnuuceen xarumaha waaweyn, halka deegaanka Perry oo ku yaalla waqooyi-bari gobolkana ay 87% ku meelmariyeen xaddidaado adag.

Magaalooyinka ku yaalla koonfur-galbeed iyo galbeedka Ohio ayaa sidoo kale laga soo wariyay go’aanno culus. Magaalada Trenton, boqolkiiba 80 codbixiyeyaasha ayaa ansixiyay wax-ka-beddel lagu sameeyay xeerka magaalada oo lagu mamnuucayo xarumaha isticmaala koronto ka badan 25 megawatts. Magaalada Piqua, boqolkiiba 67 dadweynaha ayaa u codeeyay in la mamnuuco xarumaha ka badan 25 megawatts, iyadoo isla markaasna ugu yaraan 70% codbixiyeyaashu ay xilalka kaga qaadeen saddex xubnood oo ka tirsanaa guddiga kuraasta magaalada.

Dhanka magaalada Urbana, boqolkiiba 77 dadka deegaanka ayaa meelmariyay xeer mamnuucaya xarumaha u baahan awood koronto oo ka badan 7.5 megawatts. Codbixiyeyaasha Urbana waxay sidoo kale 73% ku taageereen in xilka laga qaado Duqa magaalada Bill Bean.

Dadka u ololeeya deegaanka iyo dadweynaha ayaa sabab uga dhigay walaaca ay ka qabaan korontada iyo biyaha badan ee ay xarumahani isticmaalaan, sare u kaca ku yimid biilasha korontada, buuqa, wasakhowga hawada, iyo daahfurnaan la’aanta mas’uuliyiinta dowladda hoose. Barry Blankenship, oo hoggaaminayay koox dadka deegaanka ah ee magaalada Trenton, ayaa sheegay in go’aankani muujinayo “marka ay awoodda shacabku midoowdo, inaan ka adkaan karno lacagta iyo shirkadaha waaweyn ee tiknoolajiyadda.”

Kooxaha u dooda deegaanka ayaa hadda doonaya inay dedaalladooda gaarsiiyaan gobolka oo dhan. Ururka Conserve Ohio ayaa wada qorshe lagu kordhinayo xeerarka maxalliga ah, waxayna saxiixyo u ururinayaan codsi guud oo wax looga beddelayo Dastuurka Gobolka Ohio si gebi ahaanba loo mamnuuco dhismaha xarumaha waaweyn ee xogta.

Si kastaba ha ahaatee, dhinacyada taageera shirkadaha tiknoolajiyadda ayaa ku doodaya in xayiraaduhu ay dhaawici doonaan dhaqaalaha. Daraasad ay samaysay Xarunta Cilmi-baarista ee Rugta Ganacsiga Ohio (Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation) ayaa tilmaamtay in $40 bilyan la geliyay laguna maalgashan doono xarumaha xogta ee Ohio marka la gaaro sanadka 2030, taas oo keenaysa canshuuro iyo shaqooyin ay sheegeen in deegaannadu lumin doonaan haddii la xannibo.

Tirada codadka ee doorashooyinkan ayaa weli ah kuwo hordhac ah ilaa inta ay si rasmi ah u xaqiijinayaan guddiyada doorashooyinka ee gobollada (Board of Elections).

Xigasho: WOSU