Minnesota Senate candidate Mary Carlson backs one-year moratorium on hyperscale data centers
Minnesota Senate candidate Mary Carlson says her top legislative priorities include a temporary, statewide moratorium on large hyperscale data centers. She argues the pause would give local governments time to establish regulations protecting farmland, landowners and nearby residents.
Mary Carlson, the DFL candidate for Minnesota Senate District 11, is campaigning on a proposed minimum one-year statewide moratorium on hyperscale data-center development. She said the pause would allow municipalities to create rules addressing the effects of data centers on farmers, land and neighboring communities, and said she supports requiring large technology companies to pay a fair share of taxes.
Carlson said she attended public hearings on data-center moratoriums in Carlton and Pine counties and would pursue statewide regulations if elected. Her other priorities include property-tax relief and changes to public education funding; the column is an opinion piece written as part of a joint candidate feature with Republican incumbent Jason Rarick.