Sherburne County Commissioner District 3: Gregg Felber
A Sherburne County Commissioner candidate, Gregg Felber, discusses his stance on data centers as an economic development priority. He advocates for responsible data center development within industrial zones, requiring air cooling, and mandating contributions to grid improvements to offset power usage. Felber highlights the potential economic benefits, citing a Google project in Pine Island as an example.
Gregg Felber, a Sherburne County Commissioner running for re-election in District 3, outlined his priorities and stance on various county issues, including data center development. Having served on the Orrock Township board and as a Sherburne County Commissioner since 2022, Felber detailed his experience on numerous committees and joint powers boards, emphasizing his commitment to the role.
Among his key priorities, Felber addressed the upcoming closure of the Sherco Power plant by 2030, advocating for legislative changes and working with the Minnesota Energy Transition advisory board to mitigate economic damage. He also proposed a new approach to managing fees from the expanded Elk River landfill. A significant portion of his platform focused on balancing county services with property tax burdens, attributing rising costs to unfunded mandates from the State of Minnesota.
Regarding data centers, a current economic development strategy for Sherburne County, Felber affirmed their importance for the future. He stressed that data centers must be built responsibly within industrial zoning areas, utilize air cooling, and be required to fund grid improvements to offset their substantial power consumption. He cited a proposed Google data center in Pine Island as an example of a project that would contribute to grid development and local taxes, providing jobs and reducing residential tax burdens. Felber also highlighted his involvement in recent changes to Sherburne County's zoning policies, which aimed to facilitate housing construction and expand permitted property uses.