Minneapolis data center moratorium: City council to vote on temporary pause amid environmental concerns

The Minneapolis City Council is set to vote next Thursday on a proposed temporary moratorium on new data centers, a measure introduced by Ward 12 Council Member Aurin Chowdhury. During a recent town hall, residents expressed strong environmental concerns, particularly regarding hyperscale data centers' significant resource consumption, including energy and water, as well as potential air and noise pollution. Residents like Hanah Coon also raised issues of "environmental racism" and increasing electricity bills, as noted by Lee Samelson. While Minneapolis currently hosts several smaller data centers, it lacks major hyperscale facilities. Mayor Jacob Frey's spokeswoman, Jennifer Lor, stated that Frey believes data centers should be part of downtown Minneapolis's future but wants to fully understand both their benefits and impacts before proceeding. The city council previously appeared divided on the issue in April, with some members suggesting data centers could address vacant office space while others worried about sending