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Residents press Hermantown City Council to halt proposed data center, cite NDAs and environmental risks
Summary
Dozens of residents and nearby property owners told the Hermantown City Council they oppose a proposed data center, citing NDAs, noise, wetlands and water impacts, property-value and tax concerns and requests for expanded environmental review; the council took no formal action on the project tonight.
Dozens of residents told the Hermantown City Council during public comment that they oppose a proposed large data center planned near residential areas and sensitive natural features, urging the council to stop the project and demanding greater transparency.
The comments, delivered during a lengthy public-comment period, focused on alleged secrecy around the project (including nondisclosure agreements signed by city staff), potential health and environmental impacts, noise from backup generators and cooling equipment, water and wastewater demands, and the project’s location adjacent to wetlands, trout streams and residential properties. Jeffrey Donahue, a nearby resident, said “Public servants signing NDAs? That’s abominable. It’s unethical. It’s inappropriate.”
Why it matters: Speakers said the proposed development would be unusually large for the area and could change the city’s character and local environmental conditions if permitted. Several residents urged the council to require a higher level of environmental…
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