Hermantown City Council approves AUAR environmental review for proposed data center
The Hermantown City Council unanimously approved an updated Alternative Urban Areawide Review to guide evaluation of a proposed data center project. The Stop the Hermantown Data Center Group continues to oppose the project and is calling for a more extensive Environmental Impact Statement.
The Hermantown City Council unanimously adopted an updated Alternative Urban Areawide Review, or AUAR, intended to serve as a planning and environmental-review blueprint for a proposed data center. The review was initially approved in October 2025 and was revised and finalized in August 2026 after additional project information emerged.
Members of the Stop the Hermantown Data Center Group said the city should conduct an Environmental Impact Statement to examine potentially significant environmental effects. Sarah Lofald, a group member, said residents and surrounding communities had broadly requested an EIS but that the city declined to pursue one. Kimberly Parameter, president and CEO of the Hermantown Area Chamber of Commerce, supported the project, describing it as an opportunity for investment and broader economic development.