SE Minnesota cities using tool kit to make decisions on data center
Southeast Minnesota city administrators worked with University of Minnesota researchers to create a toolkit for evaluating potential data center proposals. The toolkit covers issues including water use, groundwater impacts, grants and economic benefits, giving communities a framework for making informed decisions before proposals are submitted.
City leaders across Southeast Minnesota are preparing for possible data center proposals by developing a toolkit with University of Minnesota researchers. The effort is intended to help communities ask the right questions about potential projects rather than respond without adequate information.
The toolkit addresses economic opportunities, including grants and tax revenue, as well as water demand and possible groundwater impacts. Byron City Administrator Al Rotor said the resource can help officials make informed decisions, while Lewiston City Administrator Regina Varna contributed to its development. Pine Island was cited as a community where controversy over a proposed data center has already emerged.