Legalectric

I’ve been on the Environmental Quality Board about data center environmental review, and attended the last two meetings — they’re aware of issues with Alternative Urban Area Review (AUAR) review where AUAR process is misused, but what are they doing? Working on AUAR Guidance update is going to be too little, too late.

EQB discusses data center AUARs & H2O November 20th, 2025

EQB working on AUAR Guidance August 11th, 2025

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Cannon Falls has data center going forward, and the AUAR process was not only misleading in what was proposed — we know it was a data center, but that was NOT made public, plans were not made public. “All it took” was a Data Practices Act Request to get plans, many, and information about what was really on the table, errrrrr… under the table. Here’s a plan that is pretty specific:

AUAR – Cannon Falls Data Ctr – Comments due 6/26 June 18th, 2025

Data Practices Act Requests are a crucial part of getting the information that is NOT being disclosed:

Tract Data Center in Cannon Falls June 24, 2025

Info needed re: Cannon Falls Data Center May 15th, 2025

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy has been doing a great job challenging some of the 17 (now maybe more?) data centers proposed in Minnesota. Thus far, the ones I know of are, as of September:

MCEA is challenging five of them, FIVE — an appeal of Faribault’s denial of need for an EIS in appellate court; and Lakeville, North Mankato, Hermantown, and Pine Island in District Court using the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act.

Here’s their brief in the Faribault appeal, Court File A25-1617:

As for the ones challenged in District Court under the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act, Minn. Stat. ch. 116B, here are some of the filings:

HERMANTOWN:

PINE ISLAND:

LAKEVILLE:

NORTH MANKATO:

Keep an eye on these cases! To do so, go HERE and search for the case file, and check it out:

Here’s an MCEA webinar about their work on Data Centers.