Should cities ban data centers? Residents cite environmental harm, others claim economic growth

With the rise in use of artificial intelligence, the data center industry is booming across the country, and right here in Ohio. So many data center plans are underway in our state that Ohio has given up about $2 billion in tax breaks to these projects over the last two years alone. This is a far cry from the original estimate that the break would be closer to $266 million, leading Gov. Mike DeWine to put a pause on the incentive program just last week. Thursday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll dive into how companies are rushing into Ohio to try to set up shop, while concerned citizens are pushing for moratoriums and even bans on these facilities. They share concerns legitimized by environmental and energy experts about the impact operating these facilities will be on our air and water quality and whether our existing power grid can handle what data centers require. There's also the concern of whether this industry which supports the advancement of AI will result in fewer jobs in the region. Meanwhile, places like New Albany, Ohio seem to have figured out how to coexist with this technology in a way that benefits the area. And Greater Cleveland Partnership has released a set of guidelines they believe communities should consider, while trying to determine whether any kind of data center is right for them before putting blanket bans in place. What is the right approach, to balance economic growth and protecting our planet? We'll try to answer that question with a panel of experts, concerned citizens and industry insiders. Guests: -Miranda Leppla, Director, Environmental Law Clinic, Case Western Reserve University School of Law -Jonathan Steirer, Interim Director, Great Lakes Energy Institute -Baiju Shah, President and CEO, Greater Cleveland Partnership -Chris Adams, CEO, Park Place Technologies -Will Hollingsworth, Concerned Citizen, Ravenna Resident