Blandin on Broadband

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Blandin on Broadband

Town of Morse to help match IRRRB funds to help Treehouse Broadband expand (St. Louis County)

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The Ely Echo reports…

The Town of Morse will assist Treehouse Broadband with a $550,000 project to offer high speed internet to 230 locations.

This would be the second project Morse and Treehouse have worked on together. In 2020 Morse put $100,000 into a project to extend internet to 350 locations.

Isaac Olson said 260 of the 350 locations are now Treehouse customers.

“That is a high number compared to the national average of 30-40 percent,” said Olson who explained the new project to the Morse board on Tuesday night.

He said the federal government has put a lot of effort into mapping to see who has broadband access.

“There’s about another maybe 400 locations that we didn’t cover on that map. Now, the federal government’s given some money to companies like Frontier and others to bring broadband in, but there’s still about 230 locations within our area that aren’t covered by those projects,” said Olson.

Most of the locations are in Morse, some are in Fall Lake township as well.

“We’re looking at a project that is about a 50-50 split with the IRRRB. We’re not asking any townships or organizations for any money. But we do need Morse Township to do the application and handle that procedure,” said Olson.

St. Cloud City Council will vote on data center ordinance on Oct 19 (Stearns County)

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St Cloud Live reports...

The St. Cloud City Council will have the chance to approve an ordinance that would place restrictions on the location, design and water usage of new hyperscale data centers during its meeting on Monday, Oct. 19.

If approved, hyperscale data centers would be required to use the city’s water system and must be at least 1,320 feet away from abutting road right-of-ways and residential zoned properties as measured from property line to property line. Permits for all data centers would require land use compatibility and traffic impact study, noise and vibration study, environmental impact study, and community impacts study.

All proposed data centers would also have to come with confirmation that sustainable energy use, water use and designs will be incorporated into the project. A decommissioning plan would also be needed.

The ordinance divides data centers into two groups: hyperscale data centers and on-site enterprise data centers. On-site enterprise data centers are defined as having 2,000 or fewer servers, taking up at most 10,000 square feet and using at most 50 megawatts of energy. Any data center above those limits is classified as a hyperscale data center.

The ordinance comes straight from the St. Cloud Planning Commission, which delayed a vote on a data center ordinance in September because members didn’t believe they had enough information about data centers and their community impacts. The commission then advanced this current ordinance on Tuesday, Oct. 13, in a 4-2 vote.

Marketplace APM features data center issues in Farmington and Rosemount (Dakota County)

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Marketplace APM reports…

Hyperscaler data centers have just arrived in Minnesota, but they’ve already sparked a major debate. With these projects turning into a midterm election issue, local residents are split — some are worried about tanking property values, while others think the facilities could bring a much-needed boost in jobs.

EVENT Oct 26: Hermantown’s City Council to discussion data center and permitting (St Louis County)

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Business North reports…

Hermantown’s City Council will hold a dedicated meeting on Monday, Oct. 26, to consider the Special Use Permit (SUP) and other associated agreements related to

the proposed Google data center project.

The SUP and Plat are set to be heard by Hermantown’s Planning and Zoning Commission at its Oct. 20 meeting. Following the Planning and Zoning Commission’s public hearing and subsequent recommendation, the SUP moves on to the city council for consideration.

To note: The Planning and Zoning Commissions serves as a recommending body to the city council on Special Use Permits. The SUP and Plat continue to city council regardless of the recommendation given by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

The Oct. 26 meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.

6 Policy levers communities can use to shape data center energy impacts – with a nod to Minnesota

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The World Resources Institute reports…

This article explores these policy levers, highlights emerging practices from communities across the U.S. and offers practical considerations based on WRI’s ongoing technical assistance to local governments. Together, these levers can shape where data centers are built, how they operate and whether their energy demand supports or undermines broader community goals.

Here are the six policy levers…

  1. Lever 1: Use Zoning to Guide Where Data Centers Are Built
  2. Lever 2: Establish Clear Requirements Through Permitting
  3. Lever 3: Increase Transparency Through Energy Disclosure and Monitoring
  4. Lever 4: Shape How Facilities Are Designed and Powered
  5. Lever 5: Remove Barriers to Clean Energy and Storage
  6. Lever 6: Align Private Investment with Public Priorities

Minnesota gets on nod in relation to Lever 4…

Data center design is a primary determinant of energy use and environmental impact. Key considerations include building and IT equipment efficiency, cooling systems, backup power and opportunities for heat recovery and reuse.

Local governments can encourage more sustainable design through permitting requirements, development incentives and sustainability standards. Some jurisdictions, like Lake County, Indiana, require an energy efficiency plan demonstrating how facilities will conserve energy and use renewable energy resources for permit approval. Jurisdictions can also require or incentivize certification under recognized sustainability programs such as LEED for data centers, Green Globes for Data Centers and BREEAM. Minnesota recently enacted legislation requiring just this.

Property tax / tax abatements can involve large sums of money in MN communities

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KTTC reports…

 Google’s announcement that they won’t seek a tax abatement for a proposed data center in the City of Hermantown is drawing mixed reactions from communities in Minnesota. While the Hermantown project has often been in the statewide spotlight, dozens of other Minnesota communities are in various stages of planning, proposing, or building a data center nearby.

In Hermantown’s case, the abatement was initially approved by the city to offer Google an incentive to build in the area. Without the abatement, the project stands to generate up to $240 million in regional property taxes.

“The $120 million that the county would collect over 20 years as a result of this project is significant compared to the alternative of having tax breaks as a part of the project,” said Chad Ronchetti, Economic Development Director for the City of Hermantown.

Hermantown is not the only community to approve a tax abatement for a planned Google data center; in February, the City of Pine Island approved an abatement worth roughly $36.5 million.

Google will no longer seek tax breaks in Hermantown (St Louis County)

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Northern News Now reports…

Google will no longer seek tax breaks for its proposed Hermantown data center, city officials announced Wednesday, following months of community concerns.

The proposal has drawn scrutiny for months. City leaders discussed an agreement in April that would return most of Google’s city property tax payments over 28 years. In return, Google would invest more than $42 million over those 28 years into the Hermantown School District.

A public hearing and vote were scheduled for May 4, but councilors tabled the proposal after hours of public comment.

According to the city, Google is exploring other ways to support Hermantown Community Schools through gifts outside a tax abatement agreement.

“I’m glad Google continues to listen to the needs of our community and region,” Mayor Wayne Boucher said.

City leaders say Google will pay about $3 million in taxes in its first year after construction, more than double Hermantown’s entire commercial industrial tax base combined.

There’s a comment from Stop the Hermantown Data Center…

“Google’s decision to terminate their plan to pursue tax abatement as an aspect of their proposed data center project does not change SHDC’s opposition to this project,” The statement said in part. “Residents are losing their residential sanctuary to an unwanted, inappropriately located, industrial behemoth that has usurped the public process.”

Decisions have yet to be decided…

The project’s special use permit request is scheduled to go before the Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 20. The City Council is scheduled to consider the permit and related agreements Oct. 26, following the commission’s recommendation.

St Cloud Planning Commission plans to amend Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code to address data centers

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WJON reports…

The city of St. Cloud has taken a step in regulating any future data center proposals.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the Planning Commission voted 4 to 2 to amend the city’s Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code to address larger hyper-scale data centers.

The commission held a public hearing at its previous meeting.
Under the amendments, larger hyper-scale data centers would only be allowed as conditional uses in the business parks on the outskirts of town at least a quarter-mile from residential areas. The new language puts in place five, ten, or more steps that any future proposal would have to go through to get city approval. …

If a proposed data center were to come to the city, it would trigger steps like an environmental review, a comprehensive plan amendment, a CUP permit, rezoning, and construction permits. Officials would also be able to ask the applicants about potential impacts like traffic, noise, and city services.

Senator Tina Smith cautions on betting to heavily on AI

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Forth reports…

Sen. Tina Smith’s office released statements cautioning that the President and Republicans are betting heavily on artificial intelligence, yet the technology has not yet proven it can deliver realistic returns, raising concerns about a possible financial bubble [1]. She urged that Americans should not be forced to pay for the fallout of risky bets with taxpayer‑funded bailouts [2]. Smith also noted that AI companies have not yet demonstrated the profits needed to support such a speculative market [3]. The statements were issued as part of a press release from the senator’s office [1]

Pew looks at dedicated state deployment funding including $323 million in MN border to border grants

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Pew reports on funding, especially state funding, for broadband…

Dedicated state deployment funding helps pick up where private-sector investment leaves off. When states establish eligibility and funding requirements, they are better able to target areas of need and promote goals including infrastructure scalability.

About Minnesota…

Several states dedicate resources to broadband deployment through recurring appropriations. Minnesota’s Border-to-Border program, the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI), and Wisconsin’s Broadband Expansion Grant program are examples of this approach. Although their program funding structures differ, all three maintain statutory mechanisms for directing state resources toward broadband deployment. For example, Minnesota allows appropriations to remain available until they are expended, while Virginia and Wisconsin rely on recurring appropriations and transfers through their respective budget processes.

Since 2014, Minnesota has awarded more than $323 million in broadband grants through the Border-to-Border program, using a combination of state and federal funding, with $50 million in state appropriations in 2025.

OPPORTUNITY: Apply now to participate in the 2027 CPC Cohort! Due Oct 30, 2026

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From the National Digital Inclusion Association (NDIA)…

Have you ever wanted to learn more about digital inclusion policy, wanted to feel more comfortable reaching out to policymakers and sharing your story with them, or learning strategies to ensure digital inclusion is included in local, state, Tribal, or federal policies? If the answer to any of these questions is “Yes!” then we would LOVE for you to apply to join us in our second cohort of the Connectivity Policy Corps! Applications are live and open until October 30th at 11:59PM PST.

 

About the Connectivity Policy Corps:

The Connectivity Policy Corps (CPC) advances digital equity by elevating local expertise and storytelling into policy action that informs debates surrounding digital inclusion, broadband adoption, broadband affordability, and other digital inclusion and broadband policies and opportunities. Through Connectivity Policy Corps (CPC), the National Digital Inclusion Alliance and Public Knowledge equip a network of digital inclusion champions with the tools and expertise to lead digital inclusion policy advocacy at the local, state, Tribal and federal levels. CPC members engage policymakers and federal agencies and advocate through storytelling. By amplifying local voices, the CPC aims to foster collective power that advances digital equity in meaningful and measurable ways. Learn more about the 2026 CPC Cohort here.

 

How to apply for the 2027 CPC Member Cohort:

  • Applications are due by Friday, October 30th, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST
  • To apply for the 2027 CPC Cohort complete this form
  • Read our blogpost for more background information and information about the application
  • Email shauna@digitalinclusion.org with any questions about CPC or the application.
  • The cohort will include up to 12 cohort members for Year 2, and applicants will be notified of the status of their application by December 2026.

Data centers come up in Olmsted and Dodge County forum hosted by Farmers Unions

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KAAL TV reports…

As Minnesota’s data center industry expands, questions are growing about how new developments could affect farmland, electricity costs and rural communities.

Voters took those questions directly to candidates on this year’s ballot during a forum hosted by the Olmsted and Dodge County Farmers Unions in Byron Tuesday, where they discussed the challenges facing farmers and what can be done to support the future of agriculture in Minnesota.

Among the concerns raised were rising operating costs, tariffs and access to health care and childcare in rural communities.

“We are here to help feed our nation and the world, and we want to make sure that we can do that at a at a reasonable price,” said Gail Donkers, director of membership at Minnesota Farmers Union.

But as data center development continues to expand across Minnesota, the potential impact on farmland and the state’s agriculture industry has become another point of concern.

Minnesota has more than 70 data centers in operation, with around another dozen large-scale projects proposed statewide, including the Google data center that could be built near Pine Island, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

For farmers, that growth could mean less farmland, more power lines and higher electricity costs.

Minneapolis Planning Commission closer to adopting zoning regulations specifically designed for modern data centers (Hennepin County)

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MinneapoliMedia reports…

Minneapolis is moving closer to adopting its first zoning regulations specifically designed for modern data centers after the City Planning Commission advanced a proposal Tuesday evening that would restrict where the facilities could operate, limit their size and impose additional conditions intended to protect surrounding neighborhoods.

The October 13 action comes as the city approaches a November 21 deadline, when a six-month moratorium on certain new data center developments is scheduled to expire.

The proposal represents a significant shift from the city’s existing zoning framework, which does not separately classify modern data centers and instead generally treats them as communication exchanges.

That older classification has allowed such facilities to be considered in numerous zoning districts without standards specifically addressing their electricity consumption, cooling systems, backup generators and other operational characteristics.

They look at four types of changes to the rules…

  • Commissioners Reduce Proposed Server-Space Limit
  • Additional Zoning Review Introduced
  • Data Centers Would Be Restricted to Two Downtown Districts
  • Building Design Rules Aim to Reduce Neighborhood Impacts

Next steps…

The proposal is expected to proceed to the City Council’s Business, Housing and Zoning Committee in early November.

The committee’s consideration is scheduled for November 6, according to the hearing account, while the full City Council is expected to consider the ordinance November 12.

Those dates place the council’s anticipated decision only days before the November 21 moratorium expiration.

EVENTS Oct 20 & 26: The Future of data centers in Blue Earth County

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KEYC reports…

Blue Earth County is hosting two open houses about the future of data centers in the community.

The county will be hosting open houses at the Mapleton Community Center on October 20th and the Lake Crystal City Hall on October 26, both from 4 p.m. to 6, and has put out an online survey.

The survey is seeking input on all facets of data centers from property value to energy consumption, and feedback can be given online or at the open houses.

The open houses come as a follow-up to the county’s moratorium on data centers that was passed in August, and the county says that feedback will be used to inform future discussion.

Lino Lakes City Council continues to discuss data centers (Anoka County)

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Quad Community Press reports...

The Lino Lakes City Council continues to have discussions around data centers.

At the council’s most recent work session, Community Development Director Michael Grochala reviewed the city’s current land use regulations and provided an overview of data centers.

“We’re hearing a lot more about them now,” Grochala said. “They’ve been around for years … but we’re seeing a lot more locally within the Twin Cities Metro Area and as a whole nationally.”

The article outlines major topics coming up in communities around the state and ends with the local views…

Council Member Julia Nelson clarified that no company has approached the city about building a data center. “I would be for anything that gives us the most power and control over this,” she added. 

Council Member Randy Rennaker, who brought this forward for discussion to the council in July, said he wants to make certain the city is protected and has the control of what type of facilities are built in the city. 

“I have friends and family who live in the city that can’t water their yard on a Monday or a Wednesday,” he added. “Some of these data centers are using exorbitant amounts of water. That’s just not right.” 

Council Member Chris Lyden asked Grochala if it would be possible to ban data centers in the specific zoning districts. 

Grochala said staff have not gone down the path of exploring prohibition, but the city could establish standards. 

There was no formal action taken by the council. It was discussion only.