Community survey in Pine Island shows 75 percent oppose data center (Goodhue County)

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The Post Bulletin reports…

Now a community survey conducted by an area resident has landed like a hand grenade in the middle of the fray — and may shed light on that question. The survey suggests broad opposition to the data center with 75.8% of respondents opposing it and 19.2% supporting it.

“Do residents of Pine Island city and nearby townships support the proposal to build a hyperscale data center in Pine Island. The majority answer is: No,” concludes the summary of the 73-page “Pine Island Sentiment Survey” authored by Susanne Blazek.

Blazek has a doctorate in social psychology with a minor in statistics from the University of Minnesota. More to the point, she has spent the last 15 years of her career conducting sentiment polls and large-scale public research, she says. Blazek makes no bones that she opposes the data center.

More on the survey…

One reason Blazek thinks the survey’s conclusions are valid is that the findings are in line with national polls, which show a strong backlash toward data centers. Surveys from organizations like Gallup, NBC News, and YouGov show roughly 65% to 70% of Americans opposing constructing a data center in their local area.

Blazek said the survey’s findings are based on 656 verified responses from people in the Pine Island city and surrounding areas. The survey reached 4,000 people through flyers and online messages for a 16% response rate, “which is considered OK.”

Goodhue County Commissioners narrowly approves a $3.21 million USDA ReConnect Program Grant for rural broadband expansion

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The Cannon Falls Beacon reports…

The Goodhue County Board of Commissioners narrowly approved accepting a grant for rural broadband internet expansion…

Details on the broadband grant…

The board voted 3-2, with Commissioners Jason Majerus and Todd Greseth voting against, to accept a $3.21 million USDA ReConnect Program Grant for rural broadband expansion. The board approved applying for the funding in 2021 and partnering with Nuvera Communications to be the provider that will handle the fiber optic installation. The scope of the work was updated in 2024 due to rising costs and the grant term is for 20 years.

“I don’t support this. There’s a come-and-go living out in the country. Maybe you don’t have to deal with your neighbor’s dog, maybe the fire truck might take a little longer to get there and you may not have fiber optic in front of you. If you live on the side of a rock ridge and have a half-mile long driveway, it’s not feasibly possible,” said Majerus. “But you also have Starlink. You’re probably not using an antenna with TV, you probably have a satellite for your TV, because that’s the transition we’ve went to. Homes are seldom hardwired anymore because we have all the wireless.”

“We have a $40 trillion dollar debt at the federal government, I don’t know where the $3.1 million is coming from. I get it, I’m just not sure for 190 people, that it really makes that much sense. There’s a reason it hasn’t been done yet, that it’s not feasible, that the private sector has made the decision it’s not feasible to do it. Apparently the government has got the money to make the decision and says it makes sense for them,” Majerus continued. “If there were no options, I don’t know that it’s equivalent to electrifying rural America or getting everybody with a phone, it’s not equivalent. Because there are options. It’s very doubtful that any one of these 190 supposed homes don’t have internet access, that they’re not using Starlink, that they’re not using some sort of satellite version. It’s hard to justify the money but evidently somebody’s got it, I’m not sure which pocket they’re taking it out of.”

Greseth agreed with Majerus, but seemed to grudgingly support accepting the grant before ultimately voting against.

“That’s where these last dollar costs have just exploded over the last 10 years. It used to be $7,000 for that last mile and now it’s up over $30,000 for that last mile,” said Greseth. “I’m frustrated with it, but the program’s there, it’s not technically coming out of our direct pocket. I’m frustrated with it, but I guess for the advantage for these here, it’s one of those programs that is there and we have the grant for it.”

Minneapolis’ North Loop residents respond to proposed data center bowing out

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CBS News TV reports…

The future of a property in Minneapolis’ North Loop is suddenly wide open. A data center developer is walking away from a deal to purchase the old Star Tribune printing facility. Ubah Ali heard reactions from residents in the neighborhood.

Paul Bunyan Communications is almost done with broadband expansion in Hubbard County

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Paul Bunyan Communications announces…

broadband expansion project in Hubbard County, bringing the GigaZone® all-fiber optic network one step closer to more than 220 homes and businesses.
This expansion is taking place in two areas of Hubbard County:
Areas of Henrietta and Todd Townships south of Fishhook Lake
The area south of Fishhook Lake is finished and services are now available. Todd Township construction will begin soon and is expected to be completed by the end of construction season.
Areas south and west of Long Lake in Hubbard Township. Construction is almost done. Fiber splicing will follow with services anticipated becoming available by the end of the year.
“We’re excited to be nearing the finish line on this important project,” said Chad Bullock, CEO of Paul Bunyan Communications. “This expansion reflects our continued commitment to bringing essential, high-speed broadband to underserved areas. Reliable internet is critical for work, education, healthcare, and staying connected, and we’re proud to deliver that through our all-fiber optic network.”
Once activated, customers will have access to GigaZone® Internet and WiFi, offering speeds up to 10 Gig and the reliability needed to support today’s connected homes and businesses. Voice services, including unlimited local and long-distance calling, will also be available. Business customers will benefit from Managed IT Business Services such as VOIP, Disaster Backup and Recovery, and Network Management.
“This project represents a significant upgrade for these townships,” said Leo Anderson, Chief Technology Officer of Paul Bunyan Communications. “Our all-fiber optic network is built for performance and future growth, ensuring these communities have the connectivity they need for years to come.”
Residents and businesses are encouraged to sign up now if they have not already done so to ensure timely connection as service becomes available. There is no membership fee to join the cooperative; membership begins when subscribing to GigaZone® Internet or local phone service.
To check availability or sign up for service, visit http://www.paulbunyan.net, call, or stop by the cooperative’s headquarters in Bemidji.
This project is made possible through a USDA ReConnect Round 3 grant award. The portion of construction built with grant dollars will be an estimated $500,000.

Paul Bunyan Communications is nearing completion on broadband expansion in Itasca and St. Louis Counties

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From Paul Bunyan Communications…

Construction is nearing completion on the major all-fiber optic broadband expansion project in Itasca and St. Louis Counties, bringing the GigaZone® all-fiber optic network one step closer to more than 600 homes and businesses.
The western most part of the project is done and services are now available. This includes portions of Carpenter Township and the unorganized township east of Carpenter Township.
Construction in Sturgeon Township and the western part of Alango Township is done with fiber splicing underway. Service installations are expected to begin by the end of October.
Construction is now taking place in Field Township and northern Alango Township. Once completed fiber splicing will begin. Service installations are expected to begin over winter.
“We’re excited to be nearing the finish line on this important project,” said Chad Bullock, CEO of Paul Bunyan Communications. “This expansion reflects our continued commitment to bringing essential, high-speed broadband to underserved areas. Reliable internet is critical for work, education, healthcare, and staying connected, and we are proud to deliver that through our all-fiber optic network.”
Once activated, customers will have access to GigaZone® Internet and WiFi, offering speeds up to 10 Gig and the reliability needed to support today’s connected homes and businesses. Voice services, including unlimited local and long-distance calling, will also be available. Business customers will benefit from Managed IT Business Services such as VOIP, Disaster Backup and Recovery, and Network Management.
“This project represents a significant upgrade for these townships,” said Leo Anderson, Chief Technology Officer of Paul Bunyan Communications. “Our all-fiber optic network is built for performance and future growth, ensuring these communities have the connectivity they need for years to come.”
Residents and businesses are encouraged to sign up now if they have not already done so to ensure timely connection as service becomes available. There is no membership fee to join the cooperative; membership begins when subscribing to GigaZone® Internet or local phone service.
To check availability or sign up for service, visit http://www.paulbunyan.net, call, or stop by the Grand Rapids Customer Service & Technology Center.
This project is made possible through the State of Minnesota, Department of Employment & Economic Development, Low-Density Population Broadband Infrastructure Development Grant Program. This project is estimated to cost $7,810,355, with the State of Minnesota’s Low-Population Density Program grant contributing $3,924,157, Paul Bunyan Communications investing $2,203,928, Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation (IRRR) investing $1,000,000, St. Louis County investing $583,250, Alango Township $41,200, Field Township $17,800, and Sturgeon Township $40,000.

Plymouth City Council Approves One-Year Moratorium on New Data Centers (Hennepin County)

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CCX Media reports...

The Plymouth City Council unanimously approved a moratorium on new data centers, which have come under increasing scrutiny in cities across the country.

The approval came at its Sept. 8 council meeting.

Grant Fernelius, the city’s community and economic development director, acknowledged a company recently contacted the city about building a data center of “fairly significant” size.

No official proposal has come forward, but the incident led city leaders to take action.

Plymouth’s moratorium will last one year and impacts data center proposals of at least 50,000 square feet.

The city council initially considered starting with at least 75,000 square feet, which is approximately the size of a Cub grocery store in Plymouth, but opted for the smaller building footprint.

The moratorium would not apply to existing businesses.

Data center developers withdraws deal proposed for Star Tribune building in Minneapolis (Hennepin County)

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MPR reports…

A Virginia-based developer has withdrawn from a deal to transform the former Star Tribune printing facility in Minneapolis into a data center. The proposal drew heavy criticism from residents of the city’s North Loop neighborhood.

Minneapolis spokesperson Jess Olstad confirmed that Legacy Investing withdrew a land use application for the proposed facility, which would have included a 20-megawatt data center as well as other developments at nearby parcels.

More info…

Legacy did not respond to requests for comment. Emails to the company bounced back. Legacy previously developed a slightly larger data center in the Sleep Number building in downtown Minneapolis.

The proposed data center drew strong opposition at neighborhood forums last month from hundreds of city residents, who questioned the environmental impacts of the facility. Residents also doubted the facility would bring lasting jobs to the city.

Representatives for Legacy argued that the facility would only use as much water as two residential homes and that the facility would kickstart other nearby developments.

Iron Range’s Aaron Brown offers perspectives on data centers

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Iron Range’s Aaron Brown offers perspectives on data centers

The Star Tribune publishes a column from Iron Range journalist, Aaron Brown, on data centers. He talks about many aspects of the issue and gets to some conclusions…

Opposition to data centers contains nuances. Gallup shows that people generally see the economic benefits of data centers, and many of us have begun using AI — some begrudgingly, some with enthusiasm.

What if we right-sized the data center debate? What if we acknowledge the need for computing power without giving a blank check to companies who consume resources with reckless abandon?

Minnesota already has more than 73 enterprise data centers, mostly housed in government and corporate facilities. The controversy surrounds so-called hyperscale data centers of 10,000 square feet or more. Only one such facility, a 715,000-square foot campus in Rosemount, is currently under construction in this state. Several more, including Google proposals in Hermantown and Pine Island, are navigating the regulatory process and growing local opposition.

Brown offers a recommendation…

Building up existing infrastructure with sustainability in mind should be our public priority. We must establish goals for the public good, not just for those investing billions in the most expensive technology that most people still don’t want.

EVENT Sep 11: Technology Advisory Council – Full Council Meeting

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These meetings are interesting if you’re able to attend…

Technology Advisory Council – Full Council Meeting:

  • Date:Friday, September 11, 2026
  • Time:8:30 – 11 a.m. CT
  • Location:Virtual Meeting – email mnit@state.mn.us for information on how to join the meeting.
  • Agenda:
    • Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) Updates
    • Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) Progress Update
    • Council Discussion

Upcoming Meetings

Technology Advisory Council – Full Council Meeting:

  • Date:TBD
  • Time:8:30 – 11 a.m. CT
  • Location:In-Person Meeting – tentatively 600 North Robert Street, St. Paul, MN 55146 – email mnit@state.mn.us for information on how to join the meeting.

Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce responds to losing members over support of data center (St Louis County)

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FOX21 Duluth reports…

The Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce is responding to backlash – and the loss of multiple business memberships – after they announced their support of the proposed data center in Hermantown.

In a letter sent to members of the Chamber, they reiterated their reasoning behind their support.

They also restated that two of the main concerns being expressed locally come from other projects across the country and they are negated by the specifics of this project.

This letter comes after Zenith Bookstore, Townline Farms, and Loban Dental announced they have ended their membership as a result of this decision.

6 questions (and answers) on the IronGate data centers in Woodbury (Washington County)

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Woddbury News Net reports…

IronGate Data Centers runs two data centers along Bielenberg Drive in Woodbury. Data Center Map places IronGate Twin Cities East at 401 Bielenberg Drive and IronGate Twin Cities West at 500 Bielenberg Drive. On its website, IronGate calls them MSP 01 and MSP 02, respectively.

Though data centers operate outside public view, their electricity, cooling and backup systems can raise questions about power use, city water and future expansion.

The publication asks and answers a series of pragmatic questions about the data centers:

  1. What Is A Data Center?
  2. What Do The Listings Say About Each Facility?
  3. How Are The Facilities Cooled?
  4. How Much Electricity Could The Facilities Use?
  5. What Does This Mean For Woodbury’s Water?
  6. What About Noise And Backup Power?

While the article will be of most interest to folks in Woodbury, there are some nuggets for everyone. For example…

Under Minnesota law, the Public Utilities Commission must consider making very large electric customers cover the costs that utilities incur to serve them while protecting other customers from stranded costs.

Map of 81 data centers operating (or in planning stage) in Minnesota

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Y105FK out of Rochester reports…

According to Data Center Map, Minnesota already has 81 data centers operating or in the planning phase across the state. The majority of the data centers are in the Minneapolis Market. The next biggest market for Data Centers is Duluth, with 6.

Others (KADOA, Aterio and others) have done counts and Data Center Map count falls the same ballpark.

  • Minneapolis – 63 Data Centers (Hennepin County
  • Duluth – 6 Data Centers (St Louis County)
  • St. Paul – 3 Data Centers (Ramsey County)
  • St. Cloud – 1 Data Center (Stearns County)
  • Braham – 1 Data Center (Isanti and Kanabec Counties)
  • Rochester – 1 Data Center (Olmsted County)
  • Bemidji – 1 Data Center (Beltrami County)
  • Cambridge – 1 Data Center (Isanti County)
  • Alexandria – 1 Data Center (Douglas County)
  • Mankato – 1 Data Center (Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur Counties)
  • Blue Earth – 1 Data Center (Faribault County
  • Cannon Falls – 1 Data Center (Goodhue County)

The FCC looks at new rules for city management of wireline telecommunications infrastructure and public rights-of-way

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The League of Minnesota Cities reports…

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering sweeping new rules that could significantly limit how cities manage wireline telecommunications infrastructure in public rights-of-way. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), Build America: Eliminating Barriers to Wireline Deployments (WC Docket No. 25-253), according to the FCC, is intended to accelerate broadband construction by reducing what the FCC characterizes as “excessive permitting delays, fees and other local requirements.”

For cities, however, the proposal reaches well beyond routine streamlining. If adopted, it would establish federal standards for local permitting timelines, cost recovery, and negotiated conditions while making it easier for providers to challenge local requirements as barriers to deployment under Section 253 of the Communications Act.

The article details specifics proposals on the following topics:

  • 120-day shot clock
  • Limits on local fees
  • Restrictions on in-kind compensation
  • Rules for commingled facilities

And explains the potential impact on cities…

The proposed rules could have broad implications for how cities manage public rights-of-way and receive compensation for their use. Wireline construction in the public right-of-way is not a simple desk review. These projects often involve excavation, traffic control, road closures, utility coordination, engineering review, inspections and restoration. Requiring every authorization to fit within one federal timeline, particularly if the clock starts with an incomplete submission or applies to a large batch, could strain staff capacity and make careful coordination more difficult. Smaller and rural communities may feel those pressures most acutely.

EVENT Sep 24: A New Compact for Connectivity: Internet Infrastructure in the Public Interest

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The Benton Institute for Broadband and Society is hosting a conversation…

Communications policy is entering a new era. The technologies, markets, and institutions that defined the last three decades are changing rapidly. At the same time, policymakers face fundamental questions about competition, affordability, resilience, accountability, and the public obligations that should accompany essential digital infrastructure.

On September 24, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society will bring together leaders from industry, government, academia, and the public-interest community for A New Compact for Connectivity: Internet Infrastructure in the Public Interest, a one-day convening exploring the future of connectivity policy.

The day will begin by asking how enduring technical principles and public-interest values apply to today’s internet infrastructure. We will examine how the broadband marketplace is evolving; the tools available to the public sector to achieve universal connectivity; and, finally, who can provide meaningful oversight of essential digital infrastructure.

Details:

Thursday, September 24th, 10:00am – 4:00pm ET

Barbara Jordan Conference Center, 1330 G St. NW. Washington, DC

The event will be live-streamed on the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society’s YouTube channel if you cannot attend in person.

Benton recently featured an article from one of the presenters, Dr. Amelia Acker, called, How Public is the Public Cloud. Here’s a taste of it…

I want to end where I began. Public institutions have obligations that their infrastructure providers do not. These obligations are measured in decades, possibly centuries, while IT firms are driven by quarterly business earnings and three-year contract cycles.

We crafted policy for telecommunications, electricity, railroads, banking, and broadcasting because Americans became so dependent on these services that they had become emblematic of what it means to participate in public life and belong to society. Public interest regulation should focus on dependencies, because dependence creates obligations to users that extend beyond any contract.

What “public” really means is the question underneath all of this. Writing in 2006, the philosopher and librarian Ed D’Angelo warned that markets, when left to govern information on their own, tend toward “the monopoly capitalism of a few major players.”[19] A market can coordinate consumption. But it cannot decide what a society owes its members.

For decades, telecommunications policy has confronted how Americans should be connected to networks. The next compact must focus on what happens after they connect.

OPPORTUNITY: Submit Comments on the November 2027 NTIA Internet Use Survey

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National Telecommunications and Information Administration is looking for feedback on their Internet Use Survey…

NTIA seeks feedback under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) on a set of questions for the November 2027 edition of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS). This collection of questions is known as the NTIA internet Use Survey and is also referred to as the CPS Computer and internet Use Supplement. NTIA has sponsored eighteen such surveys since 1994.

You can send an open ending email. They also have some suggested questions…

The bureau also welcomes comment on any of the following questions. Where possible, cite question numbers and propose specific, tested language:

  1. Is data from the NTIA Internet Use Survey important in 2027? Should the survey be continued?

  2. Which NTIA Internet Use Survey questions should remain unchanged in 2027 to preserve useful longitudinal time series?

  3. How should the survey questions or language be updated for technology use in 2027?

  4. Which questions should be kept because they are used by researchers, policymakers, and/or industry? Please explain how the question(s) are used.

  5. Which questions use outdated language or will not provide useful data in 2027? Should these questions be removed? If not, how should they be changed?

  6. Internet connectivity and applications have changed substantially since the survey instrument was substantively rewritten a decade ago. For example, the role of the internet in Americans’ lives is often unnoticed, from smart appliances to single-player video games that require online connections. How (if at all) should questions on the NTIA Internet Use Survey be edited, removed, or added to address the evolution of these technologies and the words we use to describe them?

  7. Commenters often suggest adding questions, but space for questions is limited. If your comment proposed additional questions, are there other questions that should be removed to make space? Or would some questions be better asked in a different venue?

  8. Are some questions (or potential questions) particularly important for policymakers or industry? Please explain. For example, as a supplement to the CPS, the nation’s primary source of labor statistics, the survey might provide key insights on internet use and the workforce.

  9. What questions (or potential questions) are of particular importance for enabling high-quality evaluation of NTIA’s broadband grant programs and other federal broadband programs? Are there particular gaps in existing program evaluation data that could be filled by adding certain questions to the NTIA Internet Use Survey?

  10. In what ways can survey language be customized to support cross-country comparison?

  11. Is there a need for more data around children’s use of the internet and digital devices? Are there particular areas that need more data, such as screen use in schools or parental perceptions of children’s tech use? Is the NTIA Internet Use Survey, a CPS supplement, the most appropriate place for this, or should that data be gathered in other ways?

  12. Is there a need for more data around artificial intelligence (AI)? Are there particular areas that need more data, such as AI use at work or home, or attitudes towards AI? Is the NTIA Internet Use Survey, a CPS supplement, the most appropriate place for this, or should that data be gathered in other ways?