Minnesota House District 47B Candidates Address Data Center Growth and Local Water Concerns
Candidates for Minnesota House District 47B discussed concerns about large-scale data center development and its potential effects on Woodbury’s groundwater, environment, energy costs and infrastructure. They supported local control, stronger environmental and water protections, and requiring developers to pay for additional public infrastructure.
Candidates responding to questions from Woodbury News Net highlighted data center development as a significant local issue. One candidate cited Woodbury’s groundwater concerns, water-treatment upgrades and existing watering restrictions, while warning that large data centers could increase water consumption, noise, energy costs and pressure on local infrastructure.
The candidates said cities should retain authority over whether data centers fit their communities. They called for stricter state guidelines covering environmental protection, water conservation, noise, transparency and local oversight, and argued that developers should cover the full cost of added utility and infrastructure demands rather than shifting those expenses to residents and small businesses.