Data Centers
Background
Data Colonialism
Native Communities Fight AI Data Centers on Indigenous Land
"The artificial intelligence industry’s data center boom is the latest chapter in a long history of environmental racism and resource exploitation in vulnerable Native communities, says Oglala Lakota and Northern Cheyenne activist Krystal Two Bulls, the executive director of Honor the Earth, an Indigenous-led environmental justice organization that is tracking over 100 proposed data center projects on tribal and rural lands."
Data Center Information Webinars
from CURE MN
Learn more about Data Centers & how they impact our communities.
Data Centers Could Emit More Greenhouse Gases Than Entire Nations
from Wired Magazine
"A WIRED review of permits for data center projects using natural gas and linked to OpenAI, Meta, Microsoft, and xAI shows they could emit more than 129 million tons of greenhouse gases per year.
"As tech companies race to secure massive power deals to build out hundreds of data centers across the country, these projects represent just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the potential climate cost of the AI boom."
The People Say No:
Resisting Data Centers
Slides & Presentation Notes
"This toolkit is aimed at helping communities cut through the propaganda, disinformation, and
secrecy that are powering rapid data center development. Whether your community is currently
battling a data center project – or looking to create protective measures for your land, energy, and
water – we hope this toolkit can help strengthen your fight and move us towards a world where
people aren’t being poisoned in the name of innovation, where communities aren’t competing
with corporations for water, and where Big Tech doesn’t get to take over democratic processes
aimed at protecting people and the environment we live in. Tech companies would like us to
believe that data centers are inevitable. But we know, when we fight, we win! In the past two years,
at least 142 activist groups across 24 states have organized to stall or stop data center projects
throughout the U.S. MediaJustice is ready to fight and be in solidarity with local communities
fighting Big Tech extraction."
Resisting the Data Center Boom
Small towns are taking on Big Tech—and some are winning
"A pattern is unfolding across the United States. Proposals for hyperscale data centers paid for by massive technology companies to support artificial intelligence (AI) are coming across the desks of local governments. These proposals are usually shrouded in secrecy, with local officials often sign nondisclosure agreements to keep the exact plans under wraps and obscured from residents. By the time the full details of the plans are made public, it’s sometimes too late for the people impacted by the data centers to weigh in.
"But residents are organizing in growing numbers to oppose the construction of these centers in their communities—and some of them are winning."
MN Data Center Resistance
Legislation
from Rise & Repair
Support: A Hyper-scale Data Center Moratorium & Regulatory Framework: Implement a moratorium on the construction of new hyper-scale data centers until a regulatory framework is established to protect our communities.
What to do about the data center attack on Minnesota?
Whatever you were thinking, it is much worse. Here are a few resources that came up during our forum
Stop the Hermantown Data Center
Take Action
"We are a nonpartisan, collaborative group uniting residents from Hermantown, Solway, and Midway townships as well as the surrounding communities. We are gathering together to stop further progress of the proposed Hermantown Data Center until transparent information is provided regarding energy and water consumption, environmental impacts and effects on residents and the larger community. We insist that a transparent and robust environmental review be completed."
MCEA
Data Center Lawsuits
"MCEA has filed lawsuits against four Minnesota cities advancing large data center proposals without adequately studying the potential impacts the facilities could have on Minnesota’s water and energy resources."
Minnesota residents opposed to data centers look to legislators for moratoriums and transparency
A coalition mostly from Greater Minnesota is lobbying state lawmakers to curb data center developments after feeling stonewalled by local officials
"What the group wants above all, though, is a moratorium on proposed projects in Hermantown, Pine Island, Monticello, Farmington, North Mankato and other cities."
Minnesota’s long-predicted data center boom is on shaky ground
from the Minnesota Reformer 2026-04-27
"The Nobles County Board rejected a zoning change this month sought by a Bloomington-based developer hoping to build a big computing facility near Worthington in southwest Minnesota. It’s the latest sign that communities’ increasingly vocal opposition to data centers — in big cities and small towns — is more than just noise."
Stop the Pine Island Data Center
This is a group for those concerned about building a data center in Pine Island, Minnesota.
Stop the Monticello Data Center
Facebook group
Southwest Minnesota board says no to proposed $4 billion data center complex
from Star Tribune 2026-04-21
"WORTHINGTON, Minn. – The fate of a proposed $4 billion data center complex is in question after the Nobles County Board voted narrowly Tuesday, April 21, against changing zoning to allow its construction.
"A packed room of residents — including many farmers pulled away from spring planting — burst into applause after the board voted 3-2 to prevent data centers in agricultural preservation districts."
City of Monticello sets stage for allowing data centers, with restrictions
from MPR 2026-04-28
The Monticello City Council voted 4-1 Monday night to adopt an ordinance that could open the door to developers building massive data centers in the community 40 miles northwest of Minneapolis.
