Carlton County institutes 1-year data center moratorium
The Carlton County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on data center construction to allow time for studying the industry's impacts and developing regulations. Residents expressed strong support, citing concerns over environmental issues, resource strain, and unchecked development. The decision was influenced by general anxieties about data center proliferation, despite no specific projects currently proposed for Carlton County.
The Carlton County Board of Commissioners unanimously enacted a one-year moratorium on data center construction within the county. This decision, approved on Monday, August 24, followed a public hearing where dozens of residents expressed strong support.
The moratorium is intended to provide county officials with time to study the impacts of data centers and develop appropriate permit-issuing standards and regulatory amendments. Chris Berg, zoning and environmental services administrator for Carlton County, stated the pause aims to protect the health, safety, and welfare of citizens. The ordinance also authorizes the Carlton County Planning Commission to undertake a study on the need for county regulation of data centers.
Residents voiced significant concerns about the rapid growth of data centers, likening it to a "new gold rush" that could exploit local land and resources. Mary Munn, a Holyoke resident, criticized the technology's scale and its potential to neglect environmental progress. Katy Porter of Mahtowa warned against a "mad push" for data centers before regulations can catch up. Speakers highlighted potential impacts on water, land use, the power grid, and pollution, citing a proposed Google data center in nearby Hermantown as a cautionary tale.
Commissioner Susan Zmyslony emphasized the importance of the interim ordinance for protecting generational farms, tourism, lakes, and forests. The move aligns Carlton County with other municipalities and counties in Minnesota that are taking local action to regulate data center development amidst a lack of statewide mandates.