State environmental review request pauses Hermantown data center project permits

A proposed massive data center project in Hermantown, Minnesota, backed by an anonymous Fortune 50 company, has hit a pause after the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board requested a delay. The Hermantown City Council had rezoned the land for the project, but the city's Planning and Zoning Commission meeting to review and approve permits was halted. The state agency has asked the city to consider the need for an environmental review, giving them 15 working days to decide. Many residents welcomed the decision to slow down the process and consider environmental concerns.