After months of wondering: It's Google

Google has revealed it is the company behind a proposed data center in Hermantown, ending months of speculation and questions about the project. The announcement has generated excitement among local leaders, who say Google’s presence could bring new opportunities to the region. The company’s services, such as YouTube, Google Drive, Google Maps, Gmail, and its search engine, are already part of daily life for many people. While many organizations are eager to work with Google, not everyone supports the project. Some residents and groups, like Stop the Hermantown Data Center, have raised concerns about the company’s approach and the project’s impact. With the new data center, local officials believe Google could have an even bigger impact on the area’s economy. The City of Hermantown and the Hermantown Area Chamber of Commerce both expressed enthusiasm about the project’s potential. Leaders say the data center could help expand the tax base, which would support essential services like road maintenance and schools. “I think that this is probably the best case scenario for a big tech company to be engaged in not just the city of Hermantown, but the region, really,” said Hermantown Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Kimberly Parmeter. “What I really hope people start to understand is how this can impact our economy in terms of tax base. Roads need to be plowed and updated, and schools need to educate our students. And so by having a major partner in this that’s gonna ease some of the tax burden on our local residents and small businesses, of course, as well.” Google also announced an electric service agreement with Minnesota Power. The partnership will lead to the development of 700 megawatts of new clean energy resources without raising costs for customers. “Google’s reputation and focus on sustainability and their goals being so synergistic with Minnesota Power’s energy forward strategy and our decarbonization goals have made it very exciting to work with a customer like Google,” said Julie Pierce, the Vice President of Strategy and Planning at Minnesota Power. Pierce explained that state laws protect customers from increased costs when data centers are built. Google will pay for all infrastructure needed to connect to the power grid and cover the cost to serve them, just like other large customers. Emma Richtman lives just over two miles from the proposed site and does not believe that a project of that magnitude belongs in the area. “Knowing that it’s Google doesn’t change my opposition doesn’t change how I feel. If anything, knowing that it’s Google, more accountability needs to be involved from a billion-dollar company,” said Richtman. “This is our lives. We deserve dignity and respect, and you are putting profit over people.” Google declined an interview but responded to questions by email. When asked about the lack of transparency before Tuesday, a spokesperson said, “This is standard practice for industrial projects to allow for the rigorous due diligence required for something of this scale. We are still in the early stages of this project with more milestones to hit, but we’re optimistic about the opportunity here in Hermantown.”