Vivek Ramaswamy on Data Centers
Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy stated that data center companies have done a "horrific job" earning public trust and proposed a four-point plan to regulate their development. His proposed executive order would halt new data center announcements until legislation is passed, mandating lower electric bills for residents (or zero for those nearby), lower property taxes for locals without abatements for developers, requirements for cleaner water and air discharge, and prioritizing abandoned industrial sites over farmland. He also suggested "vegetative insulation" for noise and aesthetic buffering.
Ramaswamy's proposals aim to address local concerns about the environmental and economic impact of data centers, particularly their land use and resource consumption, by placing stricter conditions on their development in Ohio.
The candidate also touched on using AI to cut government waste and general waste management for data centers impacting farmers.
