Dear Linda, 
Ohio EPA has extended its comment period for their Draft Wastewater General Permit for Data Centers to January 16.
If approved, this proposal would fast-track wastewater permits for data centers without reviews needed to ensure public health and safety.
Sierra Club has a proud history of working to address the widespread pollution of our waterways and drinking water across the country. We are focused on upholding and strengthening bedrock environmental protections while empowering communities to protect their water.
There are numerous issues with Ohio EPA’s Draft Wastewater General Permit for Data Centers, including its failure to regulate PFAS “forever” chemicals, excluding consideration of social and economic issues, not including concentration limits on numerous additives and impurities, and having no requirement for baseline measurements of water quality.
The most chilling statement in the draft: “It has been determined that a lowering of water quality of various waters of the state associated with granting coverage under this permit is necessary to accommodate important social and economic development.” We disagree!
The deadline for filing a comment has been extended to January 16, 2026, at 5 p.m. Please add your voice now!
If you would like a sample comment to use, visit our friends at Save Ohio Parks for a great example, and add a few personal sentences about why clean water is important to you.
Submit a Comment.