Meta is building two natural gas plants in Ohio, using state laws that let the projects skip public hearings. The company's push for more power is tied to its growing AI operations, which require huge amounts of electricity. But the fast-track approvals are drawing fire from environmental groups and local residents who say they were shut out of the process.
How the fast-track works
Ohio has a set of laws that allow certain energy projects to bypass standard public hearings and environmental reviews. The idea is to speed up construction for facilities deemed critical to the state's economy. Meta is taking advantage of that route for both plants, which means no public comment periods or formal hearings before construction begins. Critics argue the process was designed for smaller, less controversial projects — not massive natural gas plants tied to a tech giant's data centers.
AI's growing energy appetite
The plants are part of Meta's broader effort to secure reliable power for its data centers, which are expanding to handle AI workloads. Training and running large language models takes a lot of electricity, and the company has been looking for new sources. Natural gas is a relatively cheap and available option, but it's still a fossil fuel. That puts Meta in a tricky spot: the company has publicly committed to net-zero emissions, yet these plants will burn gas for years to come.
Transparency and environmental concerns
Local residents in the areas where the plants will be built say they learned about the projects only after permits were already filed. Without public hearings, there's no formal way for them to raise questions about air quality, water use, or noise. Environmental groups are also worried about the cumulative impact of multiple gas plants in the region, especially as other tech companies pursue similar deals. Ohio's fast-track laws don't require a full environmental impact statement, so the long-term effects may not be studied until after the plants are running.
The situation highlights a broader tension: AI's energy needs are growing fast, and the infrastructure to meet them is often built under rules designed for a different era. Meta hasn't said whether it will seek any voluntary community input or environmental offsets for the Ohio plants. For now, construction is moving ahead without the usual public scrutiny.
