Testimony

SELECT JOINT COMMITTEE ON DATA CENTERS| INTERESTED PARTY TESTIMONY

Keary McCarthy, Executive Director
June 4, 2026

Co-Chair Holmes, Co-Chair Chavez, and members of the Select Joint Committee on Data Centers,  thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony on behalf of the Ohio Mayors Alliance. 

The Ohio Mayors Alliance is a bipartisan coalition representing the mayors of Ohio’s 30 largest  cities, and includes representation from the Mayors Partnership for Progress in Southeast Ohio.  Our mission is centered on protecting the fiscal health of Ohio’s municipalities, preserving Home  Rule and local control, and fostering meaningful collaboration between state and local  governments. 

Ohio’s cities understand the important role of digital infrastructure in the modern economy. Data  centers are the backbone of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing,  healthcare, and finance. These sectors are increasingly vital to our state’s prosperity. As detailed  in our How Ohio Cities Can Power a Resurgence report, Ohio’s long-term competitiveness relies  on vibrant cities, modern infrastructure, and strategic investments that reinforce local  communities. 

For better or worse, data centers are part of that economic conversation. They can bring  investment and innovation, but they also raise important questions around energy demand,  infrastructure capacity, public safety, and land use. These questions are highly local in nature and  should remain locally managed. 

For that reason, the Ohio Mayors Alliance believes future state policy should be guided by three  principles: preserving local zoning and siting authority, protecting Ohio consumers and  ratepayers, and supporting public safety and infrastructure planning. 

Local Control Must Be Maintained and Prioritized 

Data centers are unique among commercial or industrial developments. Their massive scale,  intensive infrastructure requirements, and distinct operational profiles necessitate tailored local  planning and zoning frameworks.

Local governments routinely manage the impacts associated with these facilities, including  electric demand, transmission infrastructure, water and wastewater capacity, emergency  response, noise, buffering, traffic, and compatibility with surrounding land uses. A hyperscale  facility that fits one community may be entirely incompatible with another depending on  infrastructure capacity, geography, neighborhood context, or local development priorities. 

Ohio communities are already engaging these questions in different ways. Cities across Ohio are  evaluating data center proposals and zoning frameworks through locally accountable processes  that reflect their own planning goals and infrastructure realities. This flexibility is a hallmark of  effective local governance, not a deficiency in the system. 

Municipal zoning authority remains the appropriate mechanism for determining siting, setbacks,  design standards, screening, utility coordination, and long-term land-use compatibility. 

The Ohio Mayors Alliance urges the General Assembly to preserve that authority and ensure state  policy supports, rather than supplants, local decision-making. 

Protecting Consumers and Ratepayers 

This committee’s examination of the impact of data center growth on the electrical grid is timely  and necessary. As the PJM region expands to meet significant new energy demands, it is  imperative that residential ratepayers, small businesses, and local governments are shielded  from costs driven by these large-load users. 

With many Ohioans already facing utility affordability pressures, the General Assembly must  ensure transparency and equitable cost allocation. Policy must guarantee that existing  consumers are protected as new generation and transmission investments are realized. 

The Ohio Mayors Alliance appreciates the ongoing work of PJM, PUCO, utilities, and policymakers  on these issues and encourages continued focus on ensuring that data centers pay their fair share  while protecting existing ratepayers. 

Public Safety and Infrastructure Planning Matter 

Public safety must remain central to any data center discussion. Ohio’s 30 largest cities alone  spend over $2.1 billion annually on police, fire, and emergency medical services. They are often  responsible for the first response to incidents involving large, complex facilities. 

Modern data centers include sophisticated systems such as fire detection and suppression,  battery storage technologies, and fuel containment infrastructure. While these systems reduce 

risk, they do not eliminate the need for coordinated planning between operators and local public  safety agencies. 

The Ohio Mayors Alliance encourages continued work on fire safety and emergency response  guidance, first responder training, backup power and fuel storage protocols, and ongoing  communication. Because cities bear primary responsibility for emergency response, they must  remain fully integrated into planning and oversight discussions. 

Aligning Data Center Development with Brownfield Revitalization 

There is a significant opportunity to align data center development with the remediation and  reuse of brownfields. By partnering with local governments, the state can prioritize these sites,  transforming legacy industrial properties into productive, modern assets. 

This approach supports environmental remediation, strengthens urban revitalization, and  reduces development pressure on agricultural land and state parks. While state policy can help  enable cleanup, coordination, and reinvestment that makes these projects viable, local  communities are best positioned to identify suitable sites. 

Conclusion 

Ohio’s cities are ready to partner with the General Assembly as data center policy takes shape. It  is vital to manage this growth in a manner that protects consumers, enhances public safety, and  respects the authority of local communities to make decisions based on their unique conditions. 

The Ohio Mayors Alliance believes these principles can guide balanced and durable policy, and  we appreciate the committee’s attention to this important issue. 

Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony. I would be happy to answer any questions.