Ten Ohio communities vote to ban large data centers as Amazon project continues in Fayette County

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ohio —

Voters in 10 Ohio communities, including Trenton in Butler County, approved bans on large data centers during Tuesday’s election, raising questions about the future of such developments in the state.

One of the largest ongoing projects is Amazon Web Services’ multibillion-dollar data center in Fayette County, located next to Interstate 71 between Cincinnati and Columbus. The sprawling industrial site is home to an advanced battery manufacturing company, and work is underway on a big data center for Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Tom Goolsby, a Fayette County resident, expressed support for the project under certain conditions.

“Yes, as long as they are footing the bill for electric, water and everything else,” Goolsby said.

But several residents in the nearby village of Jeffersonville, home to about 1,250 people, shared concerns about the data center’s impact on…