02/21/2026
A data center has been proposed approximately two miles northeast of Cedar Bog Nature Preserve.
Cedar Bog is a rare groundwater-fed ecosystem. Projects of this scale can raise questions about water use, watershed impacts, infrastructure expansion, and long-term environmental effects.
As advocates for coldwater resources, Trout Unlimited supports careful, science-based review of developments located near sensitive aquatic systems.
A Planning Commission Meeting will be held Monday, February 23
6:00 PM, 205 E. Main St., Urbana
We encourage members to stay informed and engaged.
Some of you may remember the fight in the early 1970’s to keep a by-pass from rolling through Cedar Bog. We at Cedar Bog Association are very suddenly faced with another possibly devastating challenge.
Through a series of quiet maneuvers, the Champaign Economic Partnership (CEP) of Urbana has sold a piece of land two miles northeast of the Bog to Urbana0624C, LLC who are proposing to build a data center adjacent to US 68. We’ve attached a map showing Cedar Bog’s boundaries outlined in green, and the location of the data center site which is outlined in red. This deal is almost finalized but we believe the power of the people (who had no vote on this) can stop it!
There is a planning commission meeting Monday, February 23rd at 6:00 pm at 205 S. Main St. Urbana, OH 43078. Please come and let your voice be heard! City Council meetings are every first and third Tuesday, same time and place. We encourage you to contact city council members directly. Their individual emails are on the website, https://www.urbanaohio.com/city-council.html. Mayor Bill Bean’s email is [email protected], and CEP director Richard Ebert’s email is [email protected]. These folks made this purchase agreement happen, so they are the people to talk to. All but two of the council members, Amy Jumper and Cledis Scott (thanks!) voted to dismiss the 12-month moratorium on building. We ask those who voted to end the moratorium to rescind their vote and pull out of this contract!
You don’t have to be a resident of Champaign County to voice your concern, in fact we ask our friends from all over Ohio, the United States, and the world to speak out!
As you may have read, data centers have the potential to adversely impact groundwater. Change in our water PH and temperature would likely eradicate many, if not all of our rare species, and change Cedar Bog forever.
The citizens of Urbana are also up in arms! They too were shocked at this development, especially as the proposed site is so close to Vancrest of Urbana, a senior citizen’s home facility, and the Urbana Elementary and Middle School. At this point we don’t have much more specific information to share with you. Feel free to ask city council members questions you may have, voice your opposition to this purchase agreement, and demand the Champaign Economic Partnership pull out of this deal before it is too late.
Check our page for updates on petitions, meetings, and updated information.
We need your voices again, friends! Please fight for our Bog!
Judy Page
President - Cedar Bog Association
Madison Brown
Preserve Manager
Cedar Bog Association
