Acton Backs Conditional Ohio Data Center Moratorium

Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton has proposed a conditional moratorium on new data centers unless developers meet requirements on utility costs, union labor, transparency, environmental compliance, community benefits, and redevelopment sites. The proposal responds to concerns about large facilities' power demand, possible effects on utility bills, and development on farmland or near communities. It places data-center growth and its infrastructure costs at the center of the 2026 Ohio governor's race, although rival Vivek Ramaswamy also supports requiring operators to address their energy needs.