Hermantown City Council moves forward with controversial data center
HERMANTOWN, Minn. (FOX 9) - Plans for a data center in northern Minnesota moved forward on Monday after a vote by the Hermantown City Council.
Hermantown approves data center rezoning
What we know:
The Hermantown City Council voted 4-0 on Monday to rezone more than 200 acres of land for the new data center. The vote on Monday, which came after hours of public comment, is the first step toward moving forward with construction.
But the project has raised concerns among the public about its environmental impact.
The backstory:
The project is being proposed by a mystery company, known as Harmony Group LLC, that is representing a Fortune 500 company. Residents have raised concerns about the lack of transparency and the fact that three commissioners on the St. Louis Board of Commissioners have signed non-disclosure agreements related to the project.
Data centers are warehouses full of computer servers that provide data storage and processing for apps and websites. They are necessary in the modern world but draw a lot of resources, like power and water, to function.
The Hermantown project was discussed during a county Board of Commissioners meeting last week, leading to a controversial exchange between a commission member and a local reporter.
Data center NDAs create growing controversy
Community concerns are growing over plans to build a data center near Duluth, with residents complaining they have little details on the project due to non-disclosure agreements with potential companies involved. FOX 9?s All Day spoke with St. Louis County Commissioner Ashley Grimm who is against such pacts, saying they reduce transparency with the public.
Commissioner discusses controversy
What they're saying:
During the St. Louis County Board of Commissioners meeting last Tuesday, Oct. 14, a board member made a motion to discuss the non-disclosure agreements. The motion didn't receive a second, meaning the motion was not carried.
This left attendees without the opportunity to speak on the topic, leading a local reporter to record a confrontational discussion with Commissioner Michael Jugovich and Commissioner Keith Nelson. When asked why neither of them supported the motion, Nelson told the reporter: "I don't give a s--- what you think."
Speaking last week on FOX 9 All Day, Commission Chair Annie Harala said people "need an opportunity to be heard."
Controversy over elected officials signing NDAs
St. Louis County Commissioner Chair Annie Harala responded to concerns over elected officials signing non-disclosure agreements regarding a proposed data center project in Hermantown. She also addressed a video that shows a confrontation between a commissioner and another man who pressed the commissioner on the topic during a board meeting.
What's next:
The data center is expected to be on the docket for the county board of commissioners' next meeting on Nov. 4. Chair Harala says the next meeting will be an opportunity for the public to weigh in on the project and learn more about the proposed data center.