What was said about data centers in North Dakota
49 statements from 28 speakers, grouped by who spoke. Each appears as said, with the date and the source. No verdict is attached.
From August 13, 2026 to September 28, 2026. Statements from every state are on Statements.
Data center companies 5
Developers, operators and builders of data centers and the technology companies that fill them, speaking through their staff and spokespeople. Every state.
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company officials
Applied Digital held a town hall meeting on its Harwood data center in August 2025 after construction plans were finished
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Dave Nehring, Applied Digital Director of Local & Regional Affairs
Applied Digital is projected to be the largest property taxpayer in North Dakota by 2028 or 2029, at more than $25 million a year
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Applied Digital spokesman Nick Phillips spoke for 5 minutes 12 seconds during public comment period at North Dakota data center hearing
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Nick Phillips
Applied Digital used nondisclosure agreements in North Dakota for about six weeks during project viability determination before permitting and lifting the NDA
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Executive Vice President of External Affairs, Applied Digital
Nick Phillips, executive vice president of external affairs for Applied Digital, testified company used NDAs for Harwood project in compliance with state laws
Government 22
Officials in office, lawmakers, regulators, public agencies and courts, federal, state, tribal and local. Every state.
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North Dakota agriculture commissioner
Doug Goehring called the data center discussions political grandstanding
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U.S. House Majority Leader
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Rep. Julie Fedorchak promoted the bill at press conference in Fargo on September 22, 2026.
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Morton County Commission Chairman
Chairman Nathan Boehm said ordinance will need tweaks in the future and there is need for more discussion on general tonal noise policy
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Morton County Commissioner
Commissioner Andy Zachmeier said the ordinance has been negotiated well and lacks industry input in the process
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Morton County Commissioner
Commissioner Paul Tokach requested change to reclamation bond requirements
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Fargo Democratic Senator Tim Mathern proposed a NDA transparency bill that failed to gain support during Senate floor debate.
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Tom Ford, Grand Forks County Administrator
Grand Forks County has begun discussing potential ordinances or policies to address how future data centers should be approached and regulated.
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Don Flaherty
Ellendale Mayor predicted population growth of 400 to 600 people over the next five years
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Ellendale Mayor Don Flaherty predicted the Applied Digital data center will bring 300 to 350 full time employees to the small town
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Don Flaherty, Ellendale Mayor
Ellendale's taxable value at the end of 2025 was $3.5 million, expected to grow more than tenfold
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Randy Christmann
Public service commission chair said agency could develop a decommissioning program for data centers modeled on coal mine reclamation and wind farm rules
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North Dakota state senator
Senator Tim Mathern co authored the bill to outlaw non disclosure agreements between public officials and data center developers
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North Dakota state senator
NDAs are not enforceable under current statute according to Senator Braunberger
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North Dakota state senator
Senator Tim Mathern sponsored the bill to ban NDAs for data centers
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North Dakota governor
Governor Kelly Armstrong stated that no elected official in North Dakota can bypass open records laws by signing a non disclosure agreement
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North Dakota State Senator
Tim Mathern, D Fargo, sponsored the nondisclosure agreement bill.
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North Dakota State Senator
Sen. Tim Mathern, D Fargo, introduced Senate Bill 2406 and proposed amendments including one to eliminate state sales tax exemption for data center developers and another to exempt public entities that are energy providers
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Governor of North Dakota
Gov. Kelly Armstrong, R, testified against Senate Bill 2406 but favored an amendment clarifying the law would not prohibit nondisclosure agreements to maintain confidentiality of information already considered confidential or exempt under state law
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Democratic NPL Legislative Leadership stated Republican lawmakers blocked bills for a pause on new data center development
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Aaron Birst, Executive Director, North Dakota Association of Counties
The Executive Director for the North Dakota Association of Counties spoke about the role local governments play in deciding where, how and under what conditions data centers can be built
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Kelly Armstrong, North Dakota Governor (paraphrased)
Dem NPL State Senator Tim Mathern of Fargo will introduce a data center bill during next month's special session
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North Dakota Governor
Gov. Kelly Armstrong said he will evaluate a data center bill that restricts governments from entering into nondisclosure agreements with developers
Chief executives 1
Chief executives, presidents, founders and chairs of companies, in technology, data centers, power and elsewhere. Every state.
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Wes Cummins, Applied Digital chairman and CEO
Lead times for gas turbine orders extend to 2032
Candidates and campaigns 11
People running for office, their campaigns and their parties. A candidate who does not hold the office is not an official. Every state.
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Democratic candidate for North Dakota agriculture commissioner
Vern Thompson has led a series of meetings on data centers, with attendees concerned about health effects, using up prime farmland and the state being overwhelmed by demand for electricity and water
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Vern Thompson, candidate for North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner
The forum addresses public concerns regarding surge of data center developments across North Dakota state
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Democratic-NPL candidate for agriculture commissioner
Vern Thompson spoke for 6 minutes 46 seconds during public comment period at North Dakota data center hearing
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Vern Thompson, candidate for Ag. Commissioner
The majority of North Dakotans support a temporary pause on new hyperscale data center permits
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Vern Thompson hosted a data center town hall in Harwood
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Vern Thompson, Agriculture Commissioner candidate, declared data centers North Dakota's number one problem
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Agriculture Commissioner candidate
Thompson proposed one year moratorium on data centers to allow ordinances to be developed
Advocates and residents 3
Advocacy and community groups on every side, residents, neighbors and people speaking at public meetings. Every state.
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data center opposition organizer
Susan Beehler, organizer, said the group is concerned about a hyper scale data center planned near Mandan Middle School and Mandan High School
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Mary Tintes, Civic West Steering Committee member
Civic West hosting Fire Hall Chat on September 17 at 7 p.m. to discuss data center benefits and drawbacks with residents and Applied Digital representative
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Michel Berg, local farmer
It was less than three months when the public became aware of the project in Oliver County to when construction began
Researchers and analysts 1
Universities, research institutes, think tanks, pollsters, economists and consultants. Every state.
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Former North Dakota University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott discussed North Dakota's emerging role in artificial intelligence and data center development.
Other voices 6
Journalists, lawyers, former officials, and speakers the source describes in words that name none of the groups above. Every state.
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Beulah
Roger Gazur argues data centers are necessary for streaming movies, email, social media, credit card processing, cell phone calls, and web searches
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North Dakota Monitor, commentary
Data center construction is underway in Ellendale and Harwood with rapid planning for at least two more massive installations.
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Gerardo Lara, vice president of Boiler Sales at Rentech Boiler Systems
Rentech Boiler Systems can deliver a packaged boiler within a year
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Representative, R-Mandan
Rep. Todd Porter argued state's existing transparency laws are sufficient
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Representative, D-Foss
Rep. Austin Foss supported the bill because it includes possibility permit could be revoked for NDA violations
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Representative, R-Casselton
Rep. Jonathan Warrey brought amendment and voted for rejecting the bill
The group comes from the words the source gives for the speaker; how the groups are read. Every statement on the record is in CSV and JSON, with its group and its state.
