If data centers must be built, it should be done on abandoned land that can't be used for farming

Photo courtesy of the Menges family

Posted Wednesday, October 28, 2026 5:48 am

Guest Columnist cleveland.com (via Cleveland.com)

Seventh-grader Sam Menges wants to be a farmer but threats to historic Lorain County farm acreage from a data center megasite have clouded those hopes. To fight back, he's collecting other testimonials from Ohio kids to send to the Legislature's Ohio Data Center Study Committee. (Photo courtesy of the Menges family)

My name is Sam. I’m a 12-year-old kid from Lorain County. I want to be a farmer when I grow up, but data centers and the elected officials supporting their development are putting my future at risk.

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