Hermantown approves controversial Google Data Center during late night meeting
The Hermantown City Council unanimously approved the major local agreements and special use permit needed for Google's proposed 1.7 million-square-foot data center. The project remains subject to three lawsuits, environmental and land-use challenges, and approval of its electric service agreement by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.
The Hermantown City Council unanimously approved a development agreement, special use permit and other measures allowing Google to advance a proposed 1.7 million-square-foot data center on more than 200 acres in a rural residential area outside Duluth. The late-night vote followed multiple meeting postponements, protests and four hours of public comment, with most speakers opposing the project.
Google reduced the project from four buildings to three, capped building heights at 33 feet, agreed to monitor nearby private wells and dropped a request for up to $80 million in property tax breaks. The project is expected to generate about $3 million annually in local property taxes and includes a $210 million decommissioning agreement, but opponents continue to object to its scale and approval process.
Three lawsuits remain pending over the project's environmental review, zoning changes and land ownership. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission must also approve Google's electric service agreement with Minnesota Power; the facility is expected to require 500 megawatts of electricity.