Resident raises questions about data centers' water, energy and noise impacts at Defiance council meeting

During the citizens' comment portion of the Defiance City Council meeting on Feb. 24, resident Barb Nees warned councilors that data centers can pose significant local impacts and urged the city to provide advanced public notice and mitigation planning if a facility is proposed in the area.

"Data centers create air, water, noise, health, and energy concerns," Nees said, citing multiple examples and saying some facilities offer few long-term local jobs after construction. She told the council she had "Googled" the issue and said the Environmental Energy Institute provided a statistic she referenced: "1 data center can use 5,000,000 gallons of water per day depending on the size." Nees encouraged council members to anticipate and plan for grid upgrades, noise and light pollution and water-discharge questions.

Chair (presiding officer) asked Nees for the source of several statistics she cited; Nees identified the Environmental Energy Institute as one source and later gave her name as Barb Nees. The chair noted local press coverage of a recent large public meeting in Archbold where community opposition to a proposed data center had drawn several hundred residents.

Council did not take formal action on the issue that night. Staff and councilors acknowledged the concerns and requested sources and further information; no ordinance, referral or staff assignment specific to data centers was recorded in the meeting minutes.