Hermantown council unanimously passes AUAR review for proposed data center
The Hermantown City Council unanimously adopted the final environmental review, known as an AUAR, for Google's proposed data center. Supporters cited economic benefits and changes made in response to public input, while opponents called for a more comprehensive environmental impact statement; a vote on Minnesota Power's transmission line was postponed.
Hermantown City Council unanimously approved the final Alternative Urban Areawide Review for Google's proposed data center after more than two hours of public comment. The roughly 2,700-page review incorporated input from five government agencies and more than 200 residents, addressing concerns including environmental impacts, wetlands and public transparency. Project representatives from Kimley-Horn and Mortenson said the plans had been revised in response to public feedback and a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources letter requesting clarification, mitigation plans and additional wetland monitoring.
Supporters said Google had acted in good faith and emphasized the project's potential economic benefits. Opponents argued that the AUAR was not sufficiently comprehensive and urged the city to require an environmental impact statement conducted by an outside entity. A separate vote on a Minnesota Power transmission line intended to serve the data center was postponed because of the lengthy public comment period and rescheduled for Thursday.