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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 review than the Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) performed for the project.
Residents’ claims and specific requests
- Concerns about secrecy and NDAs. Multiple commenters cited project documents and meetings that were not broadly publicized. Kathy Kohlmeier told the council she was troubled by NDAs and by what she described as local officials bypassing more thorough environmental reviews. ‘‘Signing NDAs to not discuss this project was absolutely disgusting,’’ said Isabella Dinicola, speaking for an online group she said has roughly 4,000 members.
- Noise and air-quality worries. Several speakers described possible long-term noise from cooling systems and diesel or jet-powered backup generators; Thomas Cooper Bates warned that low-frequency sounds can carry for miles and that generator emissions can ‘‘pollute’’ and make people sick.
- Water, wetlands and property-value impacts. Bruno Zagar (an environmental specialist) said the project should at minimum have an environmental assessment, and suggested an EIS given the scale of potential water and road impacts. Other speakers described proximity to the Midway well and trout streams and questioned how wells and waterways would be protected.
- Technical suggestion on waste heat. Eric Enberg urged the city to ‘‘lay claim to the heat with an ordinance which claims first dibs to it’’ and suggested the city plan for a potential district heating system to capture industrial waste heat from the facility.
Accusations, responses and tone
- Strong accusations were directed at the council by some speakers. Derek Strom said the approval happened because councilors were either ‘‘too stupid’’ or ‘‘getting financial kickbacks,’’ and announced a run for city council. Those assertions were made from the public-comment podium and were not substantiated during the meeting.
- Several speakers urged civil engagement and nonviolent pushback if residents’ concerns were not addressed; others asked for procedural corrections, such as a public Q&A session and fuller disclosure of developer materials.
What the council did tonight
The council did not take a formal vote on the data center project during this meeting. After the public-comment period the body recessed for a short break and proceeded with consent items, ordinance readings and several administrative resolutions. Staff and council members said some technical and procedural matters related to zoning and reviews are ongoing.
Next steps noted in the meeting
City staff and the council did not announce a final decision on the data center tonight. Residents said they will continue attending council meetings and seek additional review and transparency; one speaker said Mortensen (the developer named during comments) had held neighborhood meetings and that permit activity had paused in one instance. The council’s calendar includes a budget hearing and further ordinance or zoning procedures that could relate to the project in future sessions.
(Reporting note: quotes and claims in this article are drawn from public-comment remarks at the Hermantown City Council meeting.)
