Daily Digest — April 30, 2026
Hermantown, Minnesota Faces New Lawsuit Over Google Data Center Zoning
The citizen group Stop the Hermantown Data Center (SHDC) has filed a new lawsuit against the City of Hermantown, alleging that officials violated state law in rezoning land to accommodate a proposed 1.2-million-square-foot Google hyperscale data center in the Adolph neighborhood. According to the Duluth News Tribune, this is the second lawsuit filed by the group against the city over the project.
The complaint alleges the city's adoption of its Hermantown 2045 Comprehensive Plan and the subsequent rezoning were "arbitrary and capricious," disregarding a 2015 neighborhood plan intended to preserve the area's rural character. SHDC attorney Cynthia Kosiak characterized the rezoning as illegal "spot zoning," as reported by WDIO. The group also alleges that City Administrator John Mulder and Assistant City Administrator Joe Wicklund signed non-disclosure agreements without prior City Council approval, in violation of state law and city code.
According to MPR News, plaintiffs also allege violations of state open meeting laws. SHDC spokesperson Emma Richtman stated the city acted "secretly" and failed to properly involve the public. The proposed development agreement includes:
- Up to $80 million in tax abatements for Google over 28 years
- Google's commitment to $130 million in public infrastructure improvements
- Financial incentives to the local school district and city
The development agreement is slated for an upcoming Hermantown City Council vote. City officials have declined to comment on pending litigation, according to FOX 9. The project also faces a separate environmental review.
Hermantown, Minnesota, residents file lawsuit against city over Google data center
FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul
Opponents again sue Hermantown over proposed data center
Duluth News Tribune
Lawsuit claims Hermantown violated state law in Google data center plan
WDIO.com
Citizens' group files lawsuit to block Google's proposed Hermantown data center
MPR News
Stop the Hermantown Data Center announces new lawsuit against city
Northern News Now
Temple, Texas Mayor Defends Data Centers as Recall Effort Intensifies
Temple Mayor Tim Davis issued a letter to residents defending the city's approval of multiple Rowan data center developments, directly addressing concerns over water usage, electricity grid impact, noise, traffic, environmental effects, and tax revenue. According to KCENTV, the letter appears to have intensified rather than quelled the citizen-led recall effort against the mayor and two city council members.
Key points from the mayor's letter, as reported by KCENTV:
- Data centers use closed-loop cooling technology requiring approximately 2 million gallons for an initial charge, designed to recirculate for 10–12 years
- Daily domestic water use is capped at 4,000 gallons per facility
- The electricity grid is managed by ERCOT and Oncor, not the city
- Each Rowan project is projected to generate approximately $7 million in annual city revenue during the initial 10-year tax abatement period, rising to $12 million once abatements expire
Joe Royer, a leader of the recall effort, told KXXV that the mayor's letter inadvertently boosted the recall campaign, drawing new volunteers and support. The opposition group, now approximately 200 volunteers strong, reports it is nearly halfway to collecting the 5,000 signatures needed to trigger the recall process within the required 30-day window. Residents have also called for a pause on the project, with critics citing concerns about a "heat island effect" and questioning the economic value of trading 700 acres for an estimated 40 permanent jobs, according to KXXV.
Temple mayor sends message to residents on data center as recall efforts grow
KCENTV.com
Temple Mayor responds to concerns over data center
KCENNews
Temple Mayor issues statement in response to data center pushback
KCENNews
Temple mayor addresses data center concerns in letter to residents
KCENTV.com
Neighbors react to mayor's letter on Temple Data Centers amid recall efforts
KXXV
Vance County, North Carolina Residents Push Back on Data Center, Call for Moratorium
Residents of Vance County, North Carolina, are actively opposing a proposed data center development by Natelli Investments LLC along U.S. 158 near Henderson. According to WRAL, the Vance County Board of Commissioners approved a rezoning request for the approximately 40-acre project on April 20 without prior community input, prompting significant backlash.
Residents have called for a one-year moratorium on the project to allow for comprehensive environmental studies and assessment of long-term impacts, including electricity demand, water consumption, and noise. A local petition to halt data center construction in Henderson has garnered nearly 950 signatures, as reported by the Henderson Dispatch. Natelli Investments had previously withdrawn a data center proposal in Apex, North Carolina, after that municipality enacted a one-year moratorium on data center development.
A rural listening session hosted by Governor Josh Stein's office was scheduled for Wednesday at Vance Granville Community College in Henderson, where residents planned to voice their concerns, according to WRAL. Business owner Hope Crabtree questioned the lack of proper studies on the data center's potential electricity and water demands, particularly given persistent drought conditions across the state. Natelli Investments has not responded to media inquiries.
North Carolina Resident Calls for Data Center Moratorium Amidst Vance County Opposition
hendersondispatch.com
Data center debate continues in Vance County over proposed project
WRAL
'We want our voices to be heard': Some in Vance County push back on data center
WRAL
Vance County residents against new data center development to express concerns Wednesday
WRAL
QTS to Appeal Virginia Court Ruling Voiding PW Digital Gateway Zoning; Compass Drops Out
Data center developer QTS plans to appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court after the Virginia Court of Appeals on March 31 reaffirmed a lower court ruling voiding zoning approvals for the PW Digital Gateway project in Prince William County. According to InsideNoVa, co-developer Compass Datacenters has opted not to pursue further appeals.
The proposed Digital Gateway, located near Gainesville and adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park, was envisioned as the world's largest data center campus:
- Over 2,000 acres along Pageland Lane
- More than 22 million square feet across 37 planned data centers
- Original rezoning approved by the Board of County Supervisors in December 2023 after a 27-hour meeting
Prince William Circuit Court Judge Kimberly Irving found the rezonings void due to improper public notice, a decision upheld on appeal. The original lawsuits were filed by the Oak Valley Homeowners Association and the American Battlefield Trust, as reported by InsideNoVa. The Prince William Board of County Supervisors recently voted to end the county's own appeal after spending over $1.7 million in taxpayer funds on the legal battle.
QTS also faces a related federal lawsuit from Pageland Lane property owner Mary Ann Ghadban and neighbors, alleging improper finalization of property sales intended for the project, according to the Rappahannock News. American Battlefield Trust President David Duncan has publicly urged QTS to abandon its legal challenge.
Co-Digital Gateway developer to continue legal fight to save huge data center project
Rappahannock News
Report: Co-Digital Gateway developer, QTS, to continue legal fight to save Prince William data center project
InsideNoVa.com
UPDATED: Developer to end appeal in Digital Gateway data center case, putting the massive project in deeper peril
InsideNoVa.com
BREAKING: Developer to end appeals in Digital Gateway data center case, putting the massive project in deeper peril
InsideNoVa.com
Maine Lawmakers Fail to Override Governor's Veto of Data Center Moratorium
Maine lawmakers failed to override Governor Janet Mills' veto of LD 307, a bill that would have imposed a temporary moratorium on large-scale data center construction — which would have been the first such statewide ban in the nation. According to NEWS CENTER Maine, the House vote of 72–65 fell short of the two-thirds majority required to overturn the veto.
Democratic supporters cited concerns over environmental impacts, fresh water resources, and potential energy cost increases, arguing municipalities needed more time to establish local regulations. Republicans largely voted to sustain the veto, emphasizing job creation and tax revenue potential for economically struggling rural communities. As reported by AP News, the governor's veto drew attention given the bill's precedent-setting nature.
A key factor in the veto was the bill's lack of an exemption for a proposed data center at the former Androscoggin paper mill in Jay, Maine, according to NEWS CENTER Maine. On the same day, Governor Mills signed an executive order establishing a Maine Data Center Advisory Council, tasked with developing recommendations for managing data center projects while protecting ratepayers and minimizing environmental impacts. The order also directed the Department of Energy Resources to identify methods to shield ratepayers from increased energy costs linked to data centers.
Nation’s first state moratorium on data centers vetoed by Maine’s governor
AP News
Maine enacts statewide data center moratorium amid energy and environmental concerns
chronicleonline.com
Maine Lawmakers Fail to Override Mills' Data Center Ban Veto That Won Applause From Trump-Aligned Group
Common Dreams
Lawmakers' vote fails to override Gov. Mills' veto on data center moratorium
NEWS CENTER Maine
Maine State House fails to override governor’s veto on data center moratorium
newscentermaine.com