Cincinnati considers new regulations for data centers, addressing concerns

Cincinnati considers new regulations for data centers, addressing concerns Advertisement Updated: 5:42 PM EST Nov 10, 2026 Editorial Standards ⓘ Brian Hamrick Reporter Cincinnati considers new regulations for data centers, addressing concerns Updated: 5:42 PM EST Nov 10, 2026 Editorial Standards ⓘ Brian Hamrick Reporter CINCINNATI — Cincinnati officials are reviewing a new study on data centers, focusing on resident concerns about costs, environmental impact and regulations as they consider new rules for the facilities. The study, presented at City Hall, includes feedback from residents and examines the impact of data centers on water and power infrastructure. Councilman Mark Jeffreys, who is leading the committee reviewing the findings, emphasized the importance of community input. Advertisement "We want to get community input on what sort of regulations we may want to have on data centers in the city," Jeffreys said. Jeffreys also highlighted the need for safeguards to ensure that data centers do not increase costs for residents. The report revealed that the primary message from residents is a desire to ban data centers altogether. If a ban is not feasible, residents want limits on the size and capacity of data centers, a role in the review process, protections against noise and pollution and assurances that water and power rates will not increase. Council members also raised questions about the environmental impact of data centers, including their carbon emissions and resource usage. Another council member inquired about the resource consumption of existing data centers in the city. Currently, there are 28 data centers in the Cincinnati market, with nine located within city limits. Among them is CyrusOne, the largest data center in the area, which is situated less than a block from City Hall. A temporary moratorium on new data centers in Cincinnati is in place until February, giving officials time to either establish new regulations or extend the hold until permanent rules are finalized. While the city has measures to regulate water usage, addressing the impact on power remains a more complex issue, as power grids are interconnected across regions. Officials noted that a data center in another state, such as the Carolinas or Florida, could still affect customers in Cincinnati. Make WLWT a preferred source on Google Add Preferred Source Share Infinite Scroll Enabled Top Picks Ole Miss student apologizes after video showing women making racist gestures sparks backlash Video: Drone delivers food to ape stranded during Florida flooding Public health alert issued for three frozen meat products, USDA warns Paul McCartney achieves billionaire status, becomes world’s third-richest musician