Opponents of Google-backed data center in Goodhue County rejoice in delay

A Goodhue County judge has issued a temporary restraining order, pausing construction of Project Skyway, a Google-backed data center in Pine Island, Minnesota. The decision has invigorated opponents, who had previously felt helpless against the large-scale development.

The lawsuit was brought by the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA), an environmental nonprofit, which argued that the project's environmental study (an Alternative Urban Areawide Review or AUAR) was inadequate. MCEA highlighted concerns about the proposed data center's immense electricity demand, estimated at 2,700 megawatts, and its significant water usage, potentially straining the state's groundwater supply and clean energy goals. Opponents, including Pine Island businesswoman Nicole Mills and Rev. David Derksen, expressed newfound hope that the project could be altered or stopped, describing the ruling as putting "pressure on them to either pull out or to start doing the right thing."

Pine Island City Administrator Elizabeth Howard stated the city is reviewing the judge's decision with legal counsel. Ryan Companies, the project developer, estimated increased costs from the delay could exceed $5 million. MCEA revealed that information obtained through the state’s Data Practices Act identified Google (Project Skyway) as the end-user, despite the environmental review claiming no end-user had been identified, suggesting an attempt to "skirt the review process." MCEA has filed similar lawsuits challenging environmental reviews for data centers in other Minnesota cities.