Pine Island data center opponents relieved at judge’s ruling to pause project
A Goodhue County judge issued a temporary restraining order, pausing construction of a Google-backed data center in Pine Island, Minnesota. The ruling is a victory for opponents and allows a lawsuit filed by the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA) to proceed. MCEA argues the project's environmental study was inadequate, lacking specifics about the massive data center's energy and water demands.
A Goodhue County judge has issued a temporary restraining order, halting construction on a Google-backed data center project in Pine Island, Minnesota. This ruling, handed down by Goodhue District Judge Patrick M. Biren on Friday, May 22, 2026, has invigorated local opponents who previously felt powerless against the 'Project Skyway' development.
The lawsuit challenging the project was filed by the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA), an environmental nonprofit. MCEA contends that the city's Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR), the environmental study for the large-scale development, was insufficient and lacked specific details about the data center's potential impacts. Opponents, including local businesswoman Nicole Mills and Rev. David Derksen, celebrated the judge's decision, viewing it as a crucial step in potentially slowing or stopping the project, which they believe the city and developer, Ryan Companies, were pushing through without proper scrutiny.
The MCEA highlighted the massive scale of the proposed data center, noting it could require up to 2,700 megawatts of electricity, significantly more than the state's largest power plant. The organization also raised concerns about the demand for water and the collective impact of nearly 20 potential hyper-scale data centers on Minnesota's strained groundwater supply and clean energy goals. Pine Island City Administrator Elizabeth Howard stated the city is reviewing the decision and evaluating next steps. Ryan Companies estimates the delay will incur over $5 million in increased costs. The MCEA also alleges that key documents identifying Google as the 'Project Skyway' end-user were withheld during the environmental review process.