The citizen group WATER (Woodsdale and Trenton Environmental Resistance) achieved a recent, significant legal victory in their fight against massive data centers in Trenton.
WATER sought to place a charter amendment on the November ballot to ban data centers larger than 25 megawatts. Due to opposition by the City of Trenton, WATER was forced to litigate the matter up to the Ohio Supreme Court to determine whether the criteria to place the amendment on the ballot was met.
On Sept. 1, the Ohio Supreme Court decided in favor of WATER, ordering the City of Trenton to place the Data Center Ban charter amendment on the November ballot for a vote by the residents of Trenton.
At a Trenton City Council hearing on Thursday, Sept. 3, Council acknowledged the ruling and took the necessary steps to place the amendment on the ballot. Council also heard public comments regarding data centers from Trenton residents, members of WATER and, representing Miami Group, Larry Falkin.
Subsequently, there was another key development. Butler County Commission had scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, Sept. 15 regarding a petition to annex 600 acres of neighboring agricultural property so Amazon Web Services can build an 18-building hyperscale data center.
On the afternoon of Sept. 11, counsel for the City of Trenton, which supports annexation, asked the Butler County Commission to postpone the annexation hearing until after the November election. In response, the Commission agreed to entertain the request during the already-scheduled hearing on Sept. 15. The petition to annex the land was then withdrawn without prejudice, meaning the petition could be refiled in the future.
WATER is now working to drive voter turnout during the November election to pass the amendment banning data centers.
Here is how to help: Contact anyone you know who lives in Trenton or may know someone who lives there and ensure they are both informed about the issue and have a plan to vote. Every vote is important, so let’s support WATER as they carry their momentum to election day!
