Salix City Council approves Memorandum of Understanding regarding potential data center
The Salix City Council voted 3-2 to approve a memorandum of understanding with Google regarding a potential data center. The agreement allows the city to study impacts including drainage, electricity use, roads and environmental protection, while Google will fund related research up to $150,000; no land sale or construction commitment has been finalized.
The Salix City Council approved a three-month memorandum of understanding with Google covering a potential data center project. The agreement permits the city to assess drainage, electrical consumption, road use and environmental effects, while Google will pay up to $150,000 for project-related studies and research.
Google public affairs manager Trent Fellers said the company would not use cooling water from the Dakota Aquifer and would pursue a climate-conscious approach. Mayor Kevin Nelson emphasized that the project remains uncertain because the land has not been sold to Google or MidAmerican, and the city plans to develop its own data center ordinance and consider hiring an independent adviser to review Google's studies.