Data center activity in Minnesota
Minnesota's legal environment is a notable source of friction, alongside at least 70 enacted moratoriums against nine rejected. Zoning is evenly split, with at least nine approvals and ten denials, and opposition has blocked at least nine projects while four advanced despite objections. At least 61 companies are active. Minnesota contrasts sharply with neighboring North Dakota, where projects reaching a vote usually succeed.
Minnesota's legal environment is a notable source of friction, alongside at least 70 enacted moratoriums against nine rejected. Zoning is evenly split, with at least nine approvals and ten denials, and opposition has blocked at least nine projects while four advanced despite objections. At least 61 companies are active. Minnesota contrasts sharply with neighboring North Dakota, where projects reaching a vote usually succeed.
How is this scored?Graco is identified as a Minnesota company seeking to win business related to data centers. The available text does not provide details about a specific project, site, or government action.
The No Dirty Data Centers MN coalition launched a voter information website focused on the potential health, environmental, water, energy and taxpayer impacts of hyperscale data centers in Minnesota. Coalition-backed bills that would have strengthened oversight and repealed certain tax exemptions failed to advance, making data center regulation an issue in the upcoming election.
The Star Tribune article compares Amy Klobuchar and Lisa Demuth's positions on data centers and artificial intelligence. No specific data center project, company, locality, or government action is provided in the available text.
The Star Tribune article compares Minnesota gubernatorial candidates Peggy Flanagan and Kendall Qualls Tafoya on who should bear the costs associated with the state's growing data center industry. No specific data center project, company, or locality is identified in the available text.
A Minnesota governor debate addressed how state leaders would respond to data center development by major technology companies in small municipalities. The discussion comes amid opposition from residents in communities across Minnesota, but no specific project or government action was identified.
A power grid operator is seeking new rules governing data centers, likely addressing their effects on electricity demand and grid operations. The available information does not identify a specific data center project, company, or government decision.
The St. Cloud City Council voted to hold a public hearing on proposed regulations for new data centers at its Nov. 16 meeting. The rules would require noise, vibration and environmental studies, while some planning commissioners advocated for a moratorium instead.
Monticello City Council members questioned Xcel Energy about the proposed Edmonson Business Center data center’s potential effects on electricity rates, grid reliability and infrastructure needs. The project remains in the facility-study stage, with several questions unresolved, and local residents continue to oppose it.
Hermantown's Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-1 to recommend approval of Google's Special Use Permit for a proposed 1.6 million-square-foot data center campus. The City Council is scheduled to vote on the permit, while opponents have filed two lawsuits against the city and commissioners raised concerns about stormwater management.
Opponents of Google's proposed data center in Hermantown gathered outside City Hall on Oct. 19, 2026. The Hermantown City Council later unanimously approved a transmission line from Minnesota Power to support the proposed facility.
Hermantown's Planning and Zoning Commission discussed a special use permit for a proposed Google data center campus of up to three buildings. The commission's recommendation will go to the Hermantown City Council for a final vote.
Hermantown City Council unanimously approved adding a Minnesota Power transmission line intended to serve the proposed Google data center. Tensions were high at the meeting, and police escorted at least one man from the proceedings.
Hermantown's Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to review a special-use permit and other agreements related to Google's proposed data center. The City Council has unanimously approved a Minnesota Power transmission line intended to serve the project, while opponents continue raising concerns about shorelands, water, and compliance with state environmental rules.
The article indicates that some projects are beginning to lay the groundwork for future data centers. No specific project, company, government action, or development decision is provided in the available text.
The Hermantown City Council unanimously approved the environmental review for a Minnesota Power transmission line intended to supply Google's proposed data center. The vote followed changes to the route to avoid shoreland areas and prompted protests, while Google announced a decommissioning agreement, school funding discussions and a community advisory council ahead of a pending special use permit vote.
The St. Cloud City Council voted unanimously to hold a Nov. 16 public hearing on proposed rules governing future data centers. The proposed standards would address zoning, noise, energy use, environmental impacts, community effects and facility decommissioning, although no specific data center project has been proposed.
Google withdrew its request for up to $80 million in property tax abatements for a proposed 1.7-million-square-foot data center in Hermantown, Minnesota, saying it will instead pay property taxes and provide alternative support to the local school district. Opposition to the project continues, while the city proceeds with infrastructure and permitting steps, including a transmission-line permit and an upcoming special-use permit review.
Minnesota gubernatorial candidates Lisa Demuth and Amy Klobuchar debated how the state should address data center development, alongside broader concerns about fraud scandals. The discussion was statewide and did not focus on a specific data center project or company.
DataBank purchased a data center in Eagan, Minnesota, for $9.8 million. The transaction represents a specific data center acquisition in the Twin Cities-area market.
The St. Cloud City Council scheduled a Nov. 16 public hearing on an ordinance that would impose new restrictions and study requirements on hyperscale data centers. The proposed rules include setbacks from roads and residential properties, use of the city water system, environmental and community impact studies, and sustainability and decommissioning plans.