Google data center environmental review process sparks debate in Hermantown community

In Hermantown, Minnesota, a debate is ongoing regarding the environmental review process for a proposed Google data center. Opponents of the project are advocating for a more comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in place of the city's currently approved Alternative Urban Area-wide Review (AUAR). This call for a different review method was a prominent topic during the public comment period at a recent Hermantown City Council meeting. The city is in the process of updating the AUAR, citing the availability of new details and analysis. However, critics argue that the initial AUAR was insufficient, particularly as it did not specifically mention the data center and lacked the stringency of an EIS. They believe an EIS would provide a more thorough examination of the project's environmental impacts. City officials, in a letter to the council, explained that the AUAR was chosen due to the "rapidly evolving technological elements" of the data center, which are expected to alter its design over the eight to 10-year construction period. They highlighted that the AUAR, as defined by state statute, is intended to save time and resources by serving as a flexible, living document adaptable to various development scenarios. The Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB) noted that both AUARs and EISs are designed to provide comparable levels of analysis, with AUARs offering a more holistic view of development within a geographic area, suitable for projects like data centers. The EQB also clarified that neither review is a regulatory document, and the final decision on environmental effects rests with the responsible governmental unit, in this case, Hermantown. The update process for the AUAR is anticipated to take seven months, including two public comment periods, after which permitting can commence.