To tackle the far-reaching issue of data centers, we took a statewide approach.
Five reporters from three newsrooms ‒ covering areas in Canton, Columbus and Cincinnati ‒ teamed up to talk to residents, grassroots groups, data center proponents and state lawmakers about data centers. Videos and photos from multiple photographers, maps and supportive reporting from other journalists helped tell the story, too.
Here’s how three journalists did their reporting for our statewide story about data centers.
Victoria Moorwood, Cincinnati Enquirer
Hyperscale data centers are slowly creeping into the Cincinnati region. At The Enquirer, we wanted to take a look at how these huge campuses are impacting Ohioans ‒ not only on the outskirts of Greater Cincinnati, but across the state.
For my part of this story, I focused on how residents are responding to data centers being built near their homes. To see the issue firsthand, I went to Mount Orab, a village about 40 miles east of Cincinnati, where a potential data center is under debate.
I saw the farmland where a data center could one day stand; talked to neighbors, concerned residents and village officials; attended council meetings; pulled property records; and had a delicious barbecue pork sandwich at Butterbee’s American Grille. Photojournalist Albert Cesare joined me for these trips.
What I found was a lot of residents who had dedicated months of their time to becoming experts about a very complicated topic. Across Ohio, and now in rural areas outside Greater Cincinnati, residents like these are organizing, questioning their local officials and demanding change.
Haley BeMiller, USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau
When Ohioans are angry about something, their representatives usually hear about it.
That’s true for data centers. State lawmakers have introduced bills that aim to address some of these complaints. One of them – which would create a commission to study data centers – passed the Ohio House earlier this year.
But bills don’t guarantee action – and data centers are a thorny issue. On one hand, they benefit businesses and unions. They’ve also sparked concerns about energy costs and environmental impact.
As part of our reporting, we wanted to know what lawmakers will do next. They don’t seem to have a clear answer yet. And we know some Ohioans aren’t waiting on their elected officials to take action.
Kelly Byer, The Canton Repository
With one data center under construction and rumors of several other potential sites in Stark County, the topic has spurred residents and elected officials to action in recent months.
I dug into property and business records to report on the developments and talked with politicians, trade representatives and area residents about the future they see with data centers.
Have questions about data centers in Ohio? Tell us
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reporting about data centers took us across Ohio
Reporting by Victoria Moorwood, Haley BeMiller and Kelly Byer, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
