Pine Island gets new mayor amid data center debate
Mark E. Lang was elected mayor of Pine Island, Minnesota, after campaigning for a better deal regarding the proposed Google data center. The city council also approved a settlement ending a yearlong lawsuit, with additional environmental review required before the project can proceed.
Mark E. Lang won Pine Island’s mayoral election with 66.4% of the vote, defeating interim Mayor Brandi Veith Staloch. Lang has said he is not opposed to artificial intelligence but has concerns about the proposed Google data center and wants the city to secure better terms. Tosca Wohl, who also expressed concerns about the project, is expected to join the City Council, while candidates Delana Weis and Dominick Pahl have supported it.
The Pine Island City Council approved a settlement involving the city, Ryan Companies, Google and the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. The agreement ended a yearlong lawsuit that had halted development of the technology park, known as Project Skyway. Further environmental review could take up to nine months, after which the council may have additional opportunities to vote on the project and any required mitigation.