Community members on both sides of the Google data center debate spoke out at Tuesday’s Hermantown City Council meeting, with some voicing disappointment that the planned environmental review was not on the agenda.
No one spoke specifically on the consulting resolution during public comment. Community members on both sides of the data center debate used the time to address the broader project.
Some expressed disappointment that the Alternative Urban Areawide Review, or AUAR, the planned environmental review, was not part of Tuesday’s agenda.
The meeting was paused but in the end continued…
Public comment during the meeting became heated, and shouts from attendees prompted a brief recess. The meeting resumed afterward.
The Hermantown City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved funding of no more than $20,000 for a consulting service to help guide discussions with tribal governments as part of the Google data center proposal.
The consultant will act as a liaison between the city and tribal governments throughout the environmental research and permitting process.