Data centers in Minnesota

Holm said he supports a moratorium on large scale data centers

Steve Holm said the state should slow down before allowing more data center development

Sara Bertschinger proposed small nuclear plants to meet electricity demand for data center growth

Ellison contends that if Google terminates its 15 year contract early, other utility customers would face greater risk of cost burden.

Attorney General Keith Ellison filed comments with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on Thursday (September 2026, exact date unclear) arguing that Google's agreement with Xcel Energy does not protect other ratepayers from cost shifts.

Amazon said it is no longer using nondisclosure agreements with government agencies on data center projects

Attorney General Keith Ellison argues the Google Xcel agreement may violate Minnesota law requiring that all costs attributable to very large customers be assigned to those customers and not other ratepayers.

Attorney General's office said Xcel claims Google deal will provide more than 1.1 billion dollars in savings for other ratepayers

Reverend David Derksen, Pine Island resident, asked whether data center payments compensate for poisoned water and stated it is not all about money.

Minnesota Attorney General warned about Pine Island data center energy usage

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's office filed over 100 pages arguing Xcel has not established that the Google data center agreement is reasonable, in the public interest or compliant with state law

Northfield has no data center application before it and no developer has approached the city seeking to build one.

Scott Jensen, Republican candidate for Minnesota State Auditor, warned that Google data center in Hermantown will alter Duluth's landscape and regional ecosystem through water demand, grid challenges, and St. Louis River runoff impacts

"We're concerned with making sure that residents consent to whatever projects are happening to them and are impacting their bodies"

Lindsay Mark Lewis, CEO of Progressive Policy Institute, says Democrats can be pro environment and pro growth with data centers if strong rules are set

Erin Maye Quade reported emerging studies showing heat islands around hyperscale data centers can be anywhere from 3 to 16 degrees Fahrenheit.

DFL state senators Liz Boldon and Rep. Tina Liebling hosted virtual town hall on September 25, 2026 to hear constituents on data center regulations.

Sen. Erin Maye Quade said the federal Ratepayer Protection Act is a great first start but does not account for heat islands, water, noise or light pollution

Jenny Mongeau, incumbent Clay County Commissioner, has worked on various mental health initiatives in her 12 years on the board

Scott Steffes said he would need to do more research on data centers before deciding on a commitment to keep them out of Clay County

Jenny Mongeau said she is opposed to large scale projects like data centers circumventing local entities like townships and counties

Tom Berglind said his support for data centers would depend on the resources needed for the data center and its environmental impact

Darrell West, senior fellow at Brookings Institution, says data centers have upended politics and that opposition reflects fears about artificial intelligence

Minnesota data center boom testing balance between investment, energy, water, environmental oversight, and local decision making.

Wayne Johnson states county could put a moratorium in place on data centers being built in the county.

City attorney Jason Kuboushek estimates legal risk to city at minimum $20 million, potentially $150 million

City attorney cited legal risk of 20 million dollars in damages if the city lost a lawsuit over the moratorium

Marshall Terrace Neighborhood Organization and other groups are drafting a resolution against data centers

TJ Hofer, city planner, said hyperscale data centers impact local water supplies, use lots of electricity and create noise

Tony Scales, Council Member, votes for exemption after supporting initial moratorium

QLevr LLC threatens lawsuit claiming up to $150 million in damages

Lisa Demuth said she will sign legislation to ban non disclosure agreements with data centers

Regulatory risk needs to be treated as a fundamental transaction term in data center projects

Development moratoriums can pause key approvals and create complicated periods of uncertainty for developers and landowners

Deputy Administrator Nick Leonard requested permission to attend a two day training on data center development best practices in December in South Carolina, with only 15 applicants from across the U.S. accepted.

DNR Deputy Director Randall Doneen raised concerns about the environmental review for the proposed Hermantown data center, including gaps in groundwater data and lack of alternative site analysis

Grant Hauschild as part of Senate Tax Committee greenlit bills giving tax breaks to data centers

Amy Klobuchar stated she would require any data center project to cover 100 percent of energy and grid costs.

Jobs for Minnesotans supports local data center development and trusts Minnesota's strict policies protecting environment, water quality, and energy generation

Lisa Demuth, House Speaker, negotiated bipartisan legislation that passed protecting Minnesotans' energy bills and putting data centers on the same playing field as other businesses for energy costs.

Jobs for Minnesotans nonprofit board member Andrea Zupancich opposes tax breaks for data centers while running for state Senate against Grant Hauschild who supports them

Matt Glaesman, Planning Director, stated St. Cloud currently has no large scale data centers and no current proposals

Bryant Julestrom, former St. Cloud State Professor, stated demands from large data centers will diminish and the wisest course may be to wait

James Jorgenson, an engineering drafting and design education assistant professor at Dunwoody College of Technology, said data centers affect daily life more than many people realize and it isn't just for AI.

Michael Franz said data centers give Democrats talking points on environmental concerns and Republicans talking points opposing corporations that do not care about people

Olivia Davis said data centers are creating deep concerns around affordability and utility costs in political campaigns

The Hermantown data center faces opposition from residents opposed to its proposed $80 million property tax break and concerns about water, noise and power use.

Josh Skelton, Minnesota Power CEO, said the modernization provides flexibility when extreme weather hits, system conditions change quickly, or energy is needed in a different place than expected.

President Trump wrote on Truth Social that communities should welcome data centers to be successful with lower taxes and more jobs.

Data centers should be regulated and not serve as sole use of a property

Jake Johnson, DFL Minnesota First Congressional District candidate, demands a moratorium on data center construction.

Johnson says data centers should meet four requirements: keeping bills down, protecting farmland and natural resources, ensuring economic gains in Southern Minnesota, and ending non disclosure agreements.

Brad Finstad says data center projects should be a community decision, not handed down by Washington.

Google will pay for the resources it uses so utility customers will be insulated from rate impacts