Key developments
Ohio pauses data-center tax exemption requests
Gov. Mike DeWine on May 28 paused consideration of new data-center sales and use tax exemption requests after reporting showed the incentive was far larger than state officials expected. He directed the Ohio Tax Credit Authority to stop processing new requests while the legislature's Select Committee on Data Centers reviews the issue; the state had estimated a $136 million hit in 2025, but reporting put the total near $1.6 billion, plus $166.8 million in local sales tax revenue lost in 2024.
Why it matters
It freezes one of the sector's most important incentives in a major data-center state and could reshape project economics statewide.
Sources & driving stories
SIGNAL AKRON
Signal Akron coverageFOX 8 · Jesse Bethea
Fox 8 coverageNew Jersey proposes statewide data-center guardrails
Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced a four-part plan to curb data-center impacts on electricity costs and the grid. The proposal would require operators to bring their own power and pay for upgrades, publicly report energy and water use every six months, create statewide standards for community benefits agreements, and push local-trade jobs at prevailing wages. The move follows rising bills and opposition from more than 60 environmental and advocacy groups that wanted a temporary halt for large facilities.
Why it matters
It signals New Jersey may adopt a broad statewide framework for data-center siting, power procurement, and transparency.
Sources & driving stories
POLITICO · Matt Friedman
Politico coveragePIX11 · Matthew Euzarraga
PIX11 coverageLocal moratoriums and zoning bills multiply
In Nashville, Metro Council filed a bill that would define data centers as a land use and require closed-loop cooling, noise limits, water- and energy-sustainability plans, and annual compliance reports. Pulaski County, Arkansas, approved a one-year moratorium on new data centers while exempting AVAIO and other projects already in the approval pipeline, and Dane County, Wisconsin, advanced an 18-month hyperscale-data-center pause toward a June 4 vote. Together, the moves show more local governments trying to set rules before projects land.
Why it matters
Local jurisdictions are moving quickly to pause approvals or impose operating standards before large campuses can secure permits.
Sources & driving stories
Worth noting
WORTH NOTING
Portage County plans 15-building Bitdeer campus
Bitdeer and Geis outlined a 257-acre Ohio project with up to 750 MW of capacity, showing the pipeline is still growing despite local pushback and moratoriums.
WORTH NOTING
Microsoft says Great Lakes trigger unlikely
A Microsoft official told a Great Lakes panel the company's Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana projects should stay below the compact review threshold, citing closed-loop cooling.
WORTH NOTING
Upper Merion crowds data-center hearing
More than 300 people packed a planning commission meeting on a multi-site campus proposal, underscoring how quickly large projects are drawing public opposition.
Still unclear
OPEN QUESTION
Does Ohio's tax pause become permanent?
The committee review could redesign the sales-tax exemption or restore it, with major implications for pending projects and state revenue exposure.
OPEN QUESTION
Will New Jersey's guardrails turn into rules?
The proposal still needs legislative and regulatory follow-through before it changes power procurement, reporting, and community-benefits requirements.