Data Centers & Ashtabula County

A data center is a large facility housing computer servers, networking equipment, and storage systems that process and store digital information. They power everyday services like email, cloud storage, video streaming, financial transactions, and increasingly, artificial intelligence applications. Modern data centers can range from 100,000 to over one million square feet.Data centers are used by a broad range of organizations that rely on secure, high-performance computing and data storage. Users include:Technology companies that provide cloud computing, software-as-a-service (SaaS), artificial intelligence, search engines, streaming media, social networking, and online collaboration tools.Businesses of all sizes, from small companies to multinational corporations, that host applications, store business data, manage financial systems, and support daily operations.Manufacturing companies that use industrial automation, digital twins, predictive maintenance, quality control systems, and supply chain management platforms.Healthcare organizations, including hospitals, clinics, and research institutions, that store electronic health records, medical imaging, telemedicine platforms, and research data.Financial institutions, such as banks, insurance companies, investment firms, and payment processors, that require secure, real-time transaction processing and regulatory compliance.Government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels that support public services, emergency communications, public safety systems, tax administration, licensing, and records management.Educational institutions, including universities, colleges, and school systems, that provide online learning, academic research, student information systems, and administrative services.Research organizations and laboratories that conduct scientific modeling, climate research, genomics, engineering simulations, and other computationally intensive activities.Utilities and energy companies that monitor and control electric grids, pipelines, renewable energy resources, and other critical infrastructure using advanced analytics and real-time operational systems.Logistics and transportation companies that manage fleet operations, warehouse automation, shipping networks, and supply chain optimization.Retailers and e-commerce companies that operate online marketplaces, inventory management systems, payment processing, and customer analytics.Consumers, who rely on data centers every day—often without realizing it—for email, online banking, video streaming, social media, cloud storage, navigation, online shopping, and mobile applications.As demand for artificial intelligence, cloud services, and digital commerce continues to grow, data centers have become essential infrastructure supporting nearly every sector of the modern economy. They function much like highways, railroads, ports, and electric transmission systems by providing the digital foundation that enables businesses, governments, and communities to operate efficiently and remain globally competitive.

Data centers require water primarily for cooling — one of the most resource-intensive aspects of operations, given the constant need to prevent thousands of high-performance servers from overheating. Water demand varies considerably based on facility size and the cooling technology employed. Large hyperscale facilities tend to use the most water, while medium-sized operations use substantially less. For real-world context, New Albany, Ohio — home to approximately 40 data centers — reported a combined water use of 7 million gallons per day across the entire data center cluster last year, illustrating how aggregate demand remains manageable even in one of Ohio's most concentrated data center markets. Many communities place water consumption limits on data centers. In Marysville, Ohio, where AWS is building a $1 billion data center campus and another large-scale data center project has been approved, the city has placed a limit of 50,000 gallons per day on data centers. Modern facilities generally rely on one of two cooling approaches. Evaporative cooling systems consume more water but typically operate with lower electricity demand, while air-cooled and closed-loop systems significantly reduce water consumption, often at the cost of higher energy use. The cooling technology selected by a developer is therefore among the most consequential decisions shaping a facility's long-term water footprint. Any data center proposed in Ashtabula County would additionally be subject to Ohio EPA permitting requirements governing water withdrawal, discharge, and environmental compliance. Placed in the context of Ashtabula County's existing industrial base, data center water use is relatively modest. The county's chemical manufacturing sector alone consumes approximately 30 million gallons per day — and that figure represents only a fraction of the 200 million gallons per day the Ashtabula County Port Authority is currently permitted to withdraw. Even a large hyperscale facility would account for a small share of the county's existing industrial water use. Actual impact would ultimately depend on facility size, cooling system design, and site-specific water availability — factors that Ohio EPA's permitting process is designed to evaluate.

Ashtabula County is in a structurally strong position compared to most of the country. Our proximity to Lake Erie — one of the largest freshwater reserves on Earth — means the water availability concerns that plague data center development in states like Arizona, Nevada, and Texas are far less relevant here. That said, like all industries, water usage of all data centers requires strict permitting through the Ohio EPA. Any discharge from cooling systems must meet state water quality standards to protect Lake Erie and local watersheds. Growth Partnership supports including water use and discharge requirements as standard conditions in any negotiated agreement with a developer.

Data centers are among the most electricity-intensive facilities ever built. A single large data center can draw 100 to 500 megawatts of power — comparable to the output of a small power plant and enough to supply tens of thousands of homes. AI-focused facilities are pushing demand even higher, with some planned campuses exceeding 1 gigawatt. That scale of demand requires either existing transmission capacity in the right location or significant infrastructure investment to bring new power to a site. Ashtabula County's existing transmission infrastructure is one reason it has emerged as a candidate area — the grid access is already here, which reduces the cost and timeline of any development.

This is a legitimate concern and one that has already emerged in several parts of Ohio and across the Midwest. A congressional study found that while growing data center demand had little measurable effect on electricity rates nationally, the Midwest was a notable exception. Electricity prices in the region increased by as much as 20 percent during the summer of 2025, with rapidly expanding data center demand identified as one of several factors contributing to increased strain on the PJM Interconnection -- the regional transmission grid that serves Ohio and much of the Mid-Atlantic. The impact on any individual community depends on several factors, including how a facility connects to the grid, whether new transmission or generation infrastructure is required, and how the costs of those investments are allocated among utility customers. As a result, concerns about potential rate increases are not merely theoretical. Any proposed data center project in Ashtabula County should include a transparent analysis of electricity demand, grid impacts, and cost allocation as part of the permitting, incentive, and public review process. At the same time, the projects currently being discussed in Ashtabula County differ from many conventional data center developments because they include dedicated behind-the-meter power generation. In practical terms, this means the facilities would generate most or all of their own electricity - primarily through on-site natural gas generation - rather than relying on the regional grid as their primary power source. In some configurations, these facilities may even produce more electricity than they consume on-site, allowing excess generation capacity to be available to the broader electrical system.

The primary environmental concerns are water discharge, air emissions from backup diesel generators, stormwater runoff from large impervious surfaces, and the ecological impact of any land clearing or habitat disturbance during construction. Water discharged from cooling systems can carry elevated temperatures or treatment chemicals that affect aquatic ecosystems — this is regulated through the Ohio EPA's water discharge permitting process. Diesel generator emissions, while typically used only during outages, can be a local air quality concern if the facility is near residential areas. That said, the industry is actively moving away from traditional petroleum diesel for backup power. Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) — a renewable diesel made from waste vegetable oils and animal fats — has been adopted by a growing number of major operators including Compass Datacenters, Vantage Data Centers, Digital Realty, Meta, and Equinix, with some facilities achieving up to 90% reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil diesel. A key advantage is that HVO works as a drop-in replacement for conventional diesel, meaning existing generator infrastructure requires no retrofitting — lowering the barrier to adoption significantly. Looking further ahead, industry experts point to a distributed approach combining cleaner renewable diesel, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and hydrogen fuel cells as the most promising long-term path to eliminating diesel backup power entirely. Hydrogen fuel cells are particularly attractive because, when powered by green hydrogen, their only byproduct is water and heat — with lifecycle emissions approaching zero. Microsoft has committed to phasing out petroleum-based diesel generators at its data centers by 2030 — a benchmark that community stakeholders can reasonably cite when pressing developers on their backup power plans. Many major data center operators have made commitments to 100% renewable energy sourcing, which reduces their net carbon footprint over time. However, "renewable matching" arrangements are different from directly powering a facility with clean energy, and developers should be pressed on the specifics of their sustainability plans.

A data center project in Ohio typically requires review and permitting from multiple agencies, including the Ohio EPA (water discharge, air quality, stormwater), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (if any wetlands are affected), and local zoning and building authorities. If federal funding or federal land use is involved, a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review may also apply. Pennsylvania's proposed data center legislation — which Ohio's legislature has referenced as a model — would require developers to submit a formal sustainability plan addressing water and energy consumption, air pollution, emissions, and watershed protection as a condition of receiving any public incentives.

Noise is one of the most common community concerns about data centers. The primary sources are large HVAC and cooling tower fans, and backup diesel generators (which are tested regularly). Measured at the facility perimeter, data center noise levels can range from 55 to 75 decibels — roughly equivalent to a busy restaurant or a passing freight truck. According to the City of New Albany, they've received four formal noise complaints about data centers since 2015. Three of those complaints were resolved within days. One of the complaints related to cooling tower fan noise took longer to resolve, but the data center operator responded by: Hiring engineering experts  Installing mitigation measures  Replacing equipment  Reconstructing cooling systems  The issue was ultimately traced to a cooling fan manufacturer problem and was resolved satisfactorily.

Yes, and this is an area where local zoning and permitting conditions can do meaningful work. Communities can require noise impact studies as part of a site plan approval, set maximum decibel limits at property boundaries, require sound barrier walls or berms, mandate enclosed or acoustically treated cooling equipment, and restrict the hours and frequency of generator testing.

Absolutely. Local zoning authorities have full power to establish design and landscaping standards as conditions of site plan approval or as part of a zoning overlay district for data centers. These can include requirements for architectural façade treatment (so the building doesn't look like a blank windowless box), minimum landscaping buffers along roadways and adjacent properties, screening of rooftop and ground-level mechanical equipment, lighting standards, and perimeter fencing design. Several Ohio communities have specifically added design review requirements to their data center regulations after seeing facilities that were visually out of character with surrounding areas. Communities that act proactively — before a proposal arrives — are better positioned to enforce standards without the pressure of a pending project.

Construction of a large data center generates a significant temporary employment surge. Industry estimates suggest that a 1-gigawatt data center project creates approximately 45,000 temporary construction jobs, producing around $2.4 billion in earnings and $177 million in state and local tax revenue during the construction phase alone — typically 18 to 36 months. In addition, data centers require ongoing equipment refreshes every 2–3 years, generating recurring work for:  Electricians  IT specialists  HVAC technicians  Specialty contractors  As facilities expand, companies often add administrative and support offices, creating additional jobs beyond the data center itself. Even a smaller facility in Ashtabula County would generate thousands of construction-related job activity: electrical contractors, ironworkers, HVAC installers, concrete and structural crews, and general contractors — many of whom could be drawn from the regional workforce.

This is one of the most debated aspects of data center development — and one of the most important questions to ask before granting any public incentives. Brookings Institution research on 93 counties that landed large data centers found real job gains, though smaller than industry advocates often claim: total private employment rose 4–5% over five to six years, with construction jobs seeing the biggest short-term jump. Scaled to Ashtabula County's workforce, that translates to roughly 1,200–1,500 additional jobs — a figure consistent with what we've heard from other Ohio communities with existing data centers. Facility type matters most. Colocation centers — landlord operations leasing space, power, and cooling to outside tenants — are the most common pitch to communities but run lean, at just 20–30 permanent staff per 100 megawatts. Hyperscale campuses, built by companies like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, or Meta for their own use, generate larger IT and information-sector gains, but typically cluster in counties that already have deep tech infrastructure. A single hyperscale facility typically employs somewhere in the range of 100–200 permanent workers once operational — Meta's own U.S. and international portfolio averages out to about 165 permanent workers per site across its 26-plus campuses. A single facility alone tends to produce only a modest county-wide bump — it usually takes four or more facilities before information-sector employment growth becomes significant, as a local tech ecosystem needs scale to take hold.The jobs that materialize are high-quality: IT and network engineers, electrical and mechanical technicians, facility managers, security, and administrative staff. Salaries run well above the county median — nationally, data center technicians earn a median salary in the high five figures.The indirect employment effect — local contractors who provide ongoing maintenance, landscaping, security, and supplies — adds to the economic footprint. Ohio's Chamber of Commerce has estimated that the indirect and induced employment from data center activity across the state supports roughly 100,000 jobs, though the direct job count is far smaller.

A data center's most significant local tax contribution comes through real property taxes, which fund county services, municipal governments, and local school districts. Because data centers represent enormous capital investment — in land, buildings, and permanently attached infrastructure like cooling systems and backup power — the assessed value of the property can be substantial, translating into tax obligations well above what most industrial or commercial uses generate. Statewide, Ohio's data center industry contributed more than $1 billion in state and local tax revenue in 2024. Locally, a new data center in Conneaut, for example, could represent one of the largest single additions to the property tax base in the city's history. How the Numbers Work in Ashtabula County Ohio taxes real property at 35% of its appraised market value, with rates expressed in mills. All taxing jurisdictions — school district, city, county, library — stack together into a combined rate. For properties in Conneaut, the combined effective rate is approximately 1.85% of appraised value. Industry comparables suggest data center real property values of $5–$15 million per megawatt (MW) of IT load capacity, depending on scale, cooling infrastructure, and construction cost. Applied to a mid-sized project of 50–100 MW sited in Conneaut, the estimated real property value would range from $250 million to $1 billion or more — generating an estimated $2 million or more per year in combined property tax revenue across all local jurisdictions. That revenue would be distributed across Conneaut's taxing jurisdictions roughly as follows: Conneaut Area City Schools ~70% ~$1,400,000 City of Conneaut ~15% ~$300,000 Ashtabula County ~10% ~$200,000 Library / Other ~5% ~$100,000 Total 100% ~$2,000,000 For context, the Conneaut Area City School District currently collects approximately $7.2 million in total property tax revenue annually. A mid-to-large data center added to the tax rolls — without abatement — could increase the district's property tax base by 20% or more, with no additional students to educate. Data Center companies often pay 2-3 times more for land than other industrial projects. The cost of land for a data center project in Central Ohio is $300,000-$400,000 per acre, according to commercial brokerage firm JLL. The increase in land taxes alone -- excluding the new building value -- can go from $50-$100 per acre to $3,500-$4,000 per acre. The increase in taxes on the land cannot be abated, providing a considerable increase to schools, municipalities, and county taxing agencies.

Local governments in Ohio can offer property tax abatements as part of economic development agreements — typically through Enterprise Zone agreements or Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) designations. These are separate from the state sales tax exemption and are negotiated at the local level. Some Ohio communities have granted data centers 75% property tax abatements lasting 15 to 30 years. The merits of doing so depend on the specifics: the scale of capital investment, the number and quality of jobs created, community infrastructure needs, and what comparable projects have received. New Albany — the center of Ohio's data center boom — developed a framework requiring minimum annual payments in lieu of taxes even under abatement, ensuring the city receives predictable revenue regardless of how aggressively the state-level exemptions are structured.

Yes. Modern data centers are generally easy to convert to warehouse, distribution, or certain types of light manufacturing uses. Several characteristics can make a former data center attractive for industrial reuse: Large, open floor plates with relatively few interior walls. High floor load capacities, often exceeding those found in conventional warehouses. Substantial electrical infrastructure, including substations, switchgear, and backup power systems. Industrial zoning and established utility connections. Secure sites with controlled access and perimeter infrastructure. For light manufacturing, the outlook is often quite favorable, particularly for industries that require significant electrical capacity, clean indoor environments, or climate control. Electronics assembly, advanced manufacturing, research and development, battery-related operations, and certain food-processing or pharmaceutical activities may find value in the existing infrastructure. For warehousing and distribution, conversion is generally feasible if the site has sufficient transportation access and can accommodate loading dock modifications. In many cases, the cost of adding docks and reconfiguring interior space is far less than the cost of developing a new industrial site with comparable utility infrastructure. From an economic development perspective, one of the strongest arguments for a data center is that it leaves behind assets that are difficult and expensive to recreate: high-capacity electrical service, fiber connectivity, roads, water and sewer connections, and often a large industrial building on a development-ready site. Even if the original operator were to leave, those improvements can make the property attractive to future industrial users. For Ashtabula County, where manufacturing, logistics, and energy-related industries are already part of the regional economy, a vacated data center would likely have a reasonable pathway to reuse as light manufacturing or industrial space. It would probably be less than ideal as a state-of-the-art distribution center without modifications, but it would not be the equivalent of a stranded or obsolete asset. The value of the site's power infrastructure alone could be a significant advantage for future industrial redevelopment.

Examples of where data center operators have been viewed as constructive community partners in Ohio come strongest from the New Albany–Columbus region, where multiple large operators have been present for more than 15+ years. Google in New Albany, Columbus, and Lancaster Google has invested more than $7 billion in Ohio and has paired its data center development with workforce training, philanthropy, and environmental initiatives. The company reports more than $14 million in philanthropic giving across Ohio, over 13,000 employee volunteer hours, support for local nonprofits and schools, watershed restoration projects, and workforce development through its Skilled Trades and Readiness (STAR) program. Local officials in New Albany have repeatedly cited Google as a positive community partner. When Google announced a major expansion in 2021, New Albany Mayor Sloan Spalding stated that the city had seen positive economic impacts from the company's presence and welcomed further investment. Examples include: Skilled trades training programs for local residents. Support for STEM and workforce education. Grants and donations to local nonprofits. Partnerships focused on watershed and environmental stewardship. Meta in New Albany Meta's New Albany data center is another example frequently cited by local economic development officials. Since breaking ground in 2017, Meta has invested approximately $1.5 billion in the campus and established a formal community grant program supporting schools, nonprofits, and community organizations. Meta's community efforts include: Annual Community Action Grants. Funding for local schools and STEM education. Support for nonprofits and civic organizations. Volunteer programs and local chamber partnerships. Microsoft in Licking County An interesting example occurred even after a project was scaled back. When Microsoft decided not to proceed with certain planned data center campuses in Licking County, the company announced it would still honor commitments for roadway and utility improvements and continue supporting local digital-skills and community programs. While opinions vary on the project itself, following through on previously negotiated community commitments was viewed positively by many local leaders. Across Ohio, the operators that receive the most favorable reviews from local officials tend to do more than simply build a facility. They often: Invest in workforce development and skilled-trades training. Provide grants to schools and nonprofits. Support local infrastructure improvements. Maintain ongoing communication with residents and local governments. Make long-term commitments that extend beyond the construction phase.

Here’s a practical overview of the key decision points where communities exercise oversight: Site Plan & Zoning Review Most data centers, like all commercial/industrial developments, require either a permitted use approval or a conditional use permit (CUP) within applicable zoning districts. The CUP process is the most powerful early lever -- it allows planning commissions to attach binding conditions around screening, lighting, noise, traffic, and operational standards before a shovel hits the ground. If the site isn’t zoned appropriately, the developer must seek a rezoning, which requires a public hearing and legislative approval by the local governing body. Environmental Review Depending on project scale, state environmental review laws (Ohio EPA) and possibly federal review laws (US EPA) may require impact assessments covering stormwater, wetlands, air quality, and utility demand. Communities can participate in comment periods and, in some cases, request expanded review scopes. Utility & Infrastructure Agreements Water, sewer, and electric service extensions often require formal agreements with municipal utilities or the county. These agreements are negotiated and approved by governing boards, giving communities direct leverage over capacity commitments, cost recovery, and operational conditions. Tax Incentive Negotiation In Ohio, this is a particularly strong lever. Tools like Community Reinvestment Areas (CRAs), Enterprise Zone (EZ), and Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreements all require local legislative approval. Governing bodies can condition these agreements on job creation thresholds, wage floors, local hiring commitments, community benefit payments, or clawback provisions if targets aren’t met. The Tax Incentive Review Council (TIRC) process provides ongoing annual oversight of active agreements. Building Permits & Inspections Once approvals are granted, building departments issue permits and conduct inspections at each construction phase. While this is largely ministerial, permit conditions can carry forward requirements from earlier approvals. Ongoing Operational Oversight Conditional use permits typically run with the land but can include periodic review requirements. Communities can build in annual reporting obligations on water use, power consumption, employment, and compliance with conditions -- and retain authority to modify or revoke a CUP for violations. Practical takeaway for Ashtabula County The zoning and buildings permit processes, and the tax incentive negotiation stage are where communities have the most substantive leverage. Getting ahead of projects with a clear framework, rather than reacting deal by deal, puts the community in a much stronger negotiating position and avoids the conditions that typically drive moratorium pressure in the first place.

Yes, there can be. This is one of the most underappreciated downstream consequences of a moratorium. Data centers are anchor tenants for broader infrastructure investment and blocking them can stall or eliminate upgrades that would have benefited the entire county and region.Electric InfrastructureHyperscale data centers routinely require substation upgrades, new transmission capacity, and grid modernization that utilities wouldn’t otherwise fund on the community’s timeline. These upgrades, once built, serve existing residential and commercial customers, support future industrial attraction, and improve grid resilience broadly. A data center moratorium removes the demand signal that justifies that capital investment.Natural Gas InfrastructureThis is directly relevant to communities in Ashtabula County. Data center developers frequently require firm natural gas supply for primary power generation in the opportunities that we're working on. That demand can be the economic justification for extending or upgrading pipeline laterals -- exactly the dynamic the Risberg Line project represents. Without an anchor tenant generating sufficient demand, the financial case for that infrastructure investment weakens considerably or collapses entirely.Water and SewerData centers requiring municipal water for cooling can drive capacity expansions in water treatment and distribution systems that benefit surrounding industrial and commercial users. The same is true on the wastewater side. These are expensive upgrades that communities often can’t justify on organic growth alone.Broadband and FiberData center development almost always requires high-capacity fiber infrastructure. The conduit, rights-of-way, and network investments made to serve a data center frequently create opportunities for communities to negotiate dark fiber access, expanded broadband service areas, and improved connectivity for existing businesses and residents -- benefits that outlast any single tenant.Road and Access InfrastructureLarge projects trigger traffic impact studies and often generate developer contributions toward road improvements, intersection upgrades, and access infrastructure. These improvements serve the broader corridor long after construction is complete.The Compounding EffectPerhaps most importantly, infrastructure begets infrastructure. A natural gas extension makes the next industrial prospect more viable. A substation upgrade makes the next manufacturer more interested. A fiber build opens broadband possibilities that attract different categories of business. Data centers sitting at the beginning of that chain mean a moratorium doesn’t just block one project -- it can interrupt an entire sequence of infrastructure investments that compound over years.For Ashtabula County specifically, where the ports, the industrial land inventory, and projects like the Risberg Line are all interconnected parts of a larger infrastructure strategy, this compounding risk is very real. The data center opportunity and the infrastructure development opportunity aren’t separate -- they’re the same opportunity.