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JUSTUS with Jack & GonzoWe practice law. We seek social justice. We reveal the conflict between them. Author: Jack DAurora and John Gonzales
Social justice means applying the law equally to all people. But in practice, that doesnt always happen. Were business and trial lawyers with over 60 years experience of practice. Together, we practice law, we seek social justice, and we reveal the conflict between the two. And in this podcast, we bring together guests from a variety of backgrounds to discuss the current issues surrounding social justice and the inequity between these issues and their relation to the legal system. Join with us, so that its not Just Us. Language: en Genres: News, Politics, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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141. The downside of data centers
Episode 142
Wednesday, 11 November, 2026
Today, we’re joined by Molly Bryden and Ali Smith, both of whom are with Policy Matters Ohio. Molly is a climate and sustainability researcher, and Ali leads the work and wages team.Our discussion focuses on the rapid growth of data centers in Ohio and the policy, economic, environmental and community concerns associated with that expansion. Ohio lacks a comprehensive regulatory framework governing data center development, leaving many communities uncertain about the impacts and benefits of these projects.Supporters of data centers often cite economic development, tax revenue and construction employment. Large hyperscale data centers can create hundreds or even thousands of temporary construction jobs over development periods ranging from 18 months to several years, but the number of permanent positions is much lower. Estimates suggest Ohio currently has roughly 8,000 to 10,000 permanent data center jobs spread across about 200 sites, with most facilities employing between 60 and 100 workers. These jobs generally offer strong wages and benefits, but critics argue they do not justify the extensive tax incentives provided to developers.The conversation emphasizes the growing role of artificial intelligence in driving demand for hyperscale facilities, which consume enormous amounts of electricity and water. One proposed facility in Piketon is expected to require more electricity than all Ohio households combined. Increased electricity demand is contributing to rising energy costs across the region, with residential electric bills increasing significantly over the past decade even as household electricity consumption has declined.Water use is another major concern. Data centers rely heavily on water for cooling systems and may consume billions of gallons annually. Molly and Ali warn that inadequate regulation could threaten water quality, increase costs, and strain future water supplies. Molly and Ali also voice concern about wastewater disposal and the environmental effects of cooling processes.Additional issues include noise pollution, air quality impacts, natural gas-powered on-site generation facilities, and limited community input in siting decisions. While renewable energy could help address some concerns, regulatory barriers and reliability requirements have limited its adoption.Molly and Ali advocate for stronger state policies, including better reporting requirements, community engagement, transparency, limits on tax incentives, environmental safeguards and long-term planning. They point to states such as Virginia and New York as examples of jurisdictions experimenting with stronger oversight and regulatory approaches.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
