TRENTON, Ohio — Communities across Ohio are pushing back against the rapid expansion of AI data centers.

Now a statewide petition aims to ban the construction of larger ones that don’t get voter approval. One town in Butler County is joining the fight after the approval of a massive AI data center. 

What You Need To Know

A statewide petition is going around to stop the construction of large AI data centers that are not voter approved

In Trenton, the site of an AI data center going in, residents are trying to get 20,000 signatures to get it put on the ballot 

If the ban makes it onto the ballot and passes, voters would decide whether future AI data centers producing more than 25 megawatts can be built in their communities

One after another, residents lined up to sign a petition against the construction of new AI data centers in Ohio. 

Arthur Hurst was one of them.

“Utilities and everything is going to go up, the water and electric. We don’t need that, and we’re a quiet town, and we’d like to keep it that way,” said Hurst. 

His quiet town is in rural Trenton, almost an hour north of Cincinnati, and it’s now at the center of a loud and growing fight.

“No data center” signs, protests and now a petition are all in response to plans for an AI data center that would be the size of more than three Walmart Supercenters.

Residents say the decision was made by the city without them.

“They don’t care about us; they see the money. But they’ll get mad at you when you say money. They will get mad at you and throw you out,” said Lesa DeRosier, Trenton resident and member of W.A.T.E.R. 

For DeRosier, the statewide petition is a way to push back. She’s part of the group, W.A.T.E.R. — Woodsdale and Trenton Environmental Resistance.

They’re aiming for 20,000 signatures out of Trenton. It’s part of the 410,000 needed to get the issue on the November ballot.

If the ban makes it onto the ballot and passes, voters would decide whether future AI data centers producing more than 25 megawatts can be built in their communities.

“I don’t want to see and continue to take every piece of farmland they can and just throw a data center in for money,” said DeRosier. 

But the petition might not stop the Trenton data center project already in motion, but petition supporters say it could slow it down and prevent future developments.

The Trenton mayor would not comment this time, but previously admitted there were communication problems. 

“I’ve heard a lot of well, ‘I didn’t know, no one told me’ and I understand that and we have done a bad job of communication, but like I said, we’ve got to do better with that,” said Trenton Mayor Ryan Perry. 

Residents have spoken out in multiple council meetings since, but say the petition goes further and would guarantee them a seat at the table before data center projects move forward. 

The Trenton city manager said the land for the data center has been approved, but building permits still need approval to finish the work.

Trenton residents said they’ll be holding another petition event Saturday to get more signatures.