New tool kit helps Minnesota cities prepare for when big tech's data centers come to town
University of Minnesota researchers and the Freshwater Society released a toolkit in Rochester to help Minnesota local governments evaluate and regulate potential data center developments. The guide addresses energy and water use, environmental impacts, zoning codes and ways to prevent the political disputes that have emerged around projects such as Google’s proposed Project Skyway in Pine Island.
Researchers from the University of Minnesota and the Freshwater Society unveiled a toolkit at a Rochester workshop attended by more than 60 city planners, administrators and elected officials from southeast Minnesota. The resource is designed to help communities assess the benefits and risks of data centers before receiving proposals from major technology companies and develop local rules in advance.
The toolkit covers energy and water demands, environmental impacts and potential zoning and code provisions. Officials from Byron, Stewartville, Lewiston and Owatonna said they wanted factual guidance as they prepare for possible projects and update local regulations. Researchers also urged regional coordination because southeast Minnesota’s porous karst geology and sensitive aquifers mean water and infrastructure impacts can cross city boundaries, while opposition to Google’s proposed Project Skyway in nearby Pine Island has heightened concern about data center development.