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Residents press officials on water, noise and health after Putnam County tour of Google data center
Summary
Following a county tour of a Google data center in New Albany, residents at the Putnam County Commission meeting raised questions about noise (including infrasound), water safety, construction impacts and whether the company will follow local ordinances despite HB 2014; county officials said Google representatives plan a community town hall and said noise limits are being discussed.
Putnam County commissioners told residents they had toured a large Google data center in New Albany, Ohio, before the meeting, and several members of the public used the county’s public‑comment period to press officials for answers about noise, health impacts and local benefits.
Mike Meller, the Democratic nominee for the House of Delegates in the 21st district, said he wants to see infrasound and health‑impact data before approval of a large data center near the county. "The politicians were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't think to stop if they should," Meller said, urging officials to weigh quality‑of‑life impacts against potential economic gains. He asked whether the county had measured infrasound; county representatives said they had not taken infrasound readings and that doing so requires specialized equipment.
County officials described what they observed on the New Albany tour and said the Google facility uses large fans but that measured decibel levels at the site were below 55 dB on the day of the visit. Officials said site generators are subject to operating limits and are rarely run; the county reported hearing that some generators run only up to five minutes per month and one hour per year except in emergencies. Officials also said Google representatives have indicated plans to hold a town hall to answer community questions when project planning progresses.
Janie Miles, an area resident, spoke about a past local drinking‑water contamination episode and expressed concern about any new industrial use of nearby hillsides. "If you ever saw the movie Dark Waters, that's our water," Miles said, recounting community illnesses and a historical contamination episode she associated with regional industrial activity. Miles urged caution and asked the commission to examine water‑supply impacts.
David Edwards asked whether a company would commit to complying with local ordinances even though HB 2014 may limit some local regulatory authority; county officials said they had asked the company about adherence to the county's sound ordinance and that Google indicated it would adhere to applicable sound limits and coordinate on construction traffic and state transport improvements.
Why it matters: The proposed development raises land‑use, environmental and public‑health concerns for residents near the project area. Officials said they plan more public outreach, including a town hall by the company when planning has advanced.
What’s next: Commissioners said they will continue information‑gathering, look at water‑service and infrastructure implications, and facilitate future community meetings with the company as plans progress.
