MN Broadband Task Force September 2026: Otter Tail Digital Access and Benton on MN broadband speed goals
The Task Force heard from Otter Tail County on their broadband experience. It was nice to hear about the impact Blandin has had on their access. The Office of Broadband Development gave an update of how things are going with BEAD and other programs. John Horrigan from Benton Institute for Broadband and Society talked about access and adoption and trends over time to percentage of coverage and speeds as well as changes in recent goals from speed, access and affordability to more access and affordability.
Households with mobile-only broadband experience lower digital participation
A recent report from Purdue University finds increase of US households experience reduced digital participation because they have mobile-device access only.
MN Letters to the editor on data centers (Aug 17-Sep 22, 2026): a look at the ranges of views
This is the second of a monthly edition of letters to editors in local papers about data centers. Data centers have become a bigger issue in Minnesota, the Midwest and beyond. I’m trying to track the upcoming events and news in real time. I decided to compile the letters to editors and option pieces.
Map of 81 data centers operating (or in planning stage) in Minnesota
(Click to View)
State News
- MN Schools respond to AI demand with new degrees
- Data centers come up in local debate (House District 3b) between Zeleznikar and Schweiger
- Data centers come up in local debate (House District 8b) between Savela, Kozlowski
- Data centers come up in another debate (District 3) between Hauschild and Zupancich
- Candidates running in District 8 debate, data center comes up
- Federal government steps in with potential data center legislation but Minnesota legislation already covers it
- Attorney General Ellison calls on Congress to protect Americans from unchecked AI development
- Sen Klobuchar Receives Rural Electric Co-op Distinguished Service Award – in part for broadband work
- Senator Klobuchar working on bipartisan AI safety bill
- Rep Kelly Morrison joins 100 colleagues urging the US House to address AI concerns
- UofM student used AI makerspace to create app to detect sustainability of food
- MPR asks and answers questions about AI, security and regulation
- Ookla speed test ranks Minnesota 25 for fixed broadband speeds of 100/20 Mbps
- Former federal leader in Education Technology starts a conversation about tech in the classroom in the Star Tribune
KSTP talks to MN Fairgoers about data centers - Minnesota Releases Draft Proposed Federal Broadband Funding Package
- MinnPost looks at local candidates’ views on data centers in light of Trump’s support for data centers
- Cybersecurity update from Minnesota’s chief information security officer
- NTIA Opens a Second Round of BEAD Funding
National News
- Data-Center Ratepayer Bill is stalled in Senate
- US Senators Sanders and Casar introduce legislation to create new federal agency to ban artificial superintelligence, pause advanced AI development
- Doug Dawson has practical ways to create better broadband maps
- State broadband offices (and some industry groups) are exhausted with BEAD
- US House bipartisan advances bill to curb AI data center utility costs
- A look at another BEAD Round and the changing BEAD map
- The FCC looks at new rules for city management of wireline telecommunications infrastructure and public rights-of-way
- National Rural Electric Cooperative Association asks for flexibility with new BEAD funding round
- EPA proposal could make it harder for the public to learn about and comment on proposed AI data centers
- Trump Administration and tech CEOs ask G-20 to adopt pro-AI policies
- State Broadband Offices, including in Minnesota, are waiting for guidance on BEAD funding
- FCC Commissioner outlines four principles that have guided the US approach to communications policy
- Pew reports that half of Americans say they spend too much time on their smartphone
- GAO recommends FCC and NTIA work more closely with underserved areas and focus on sustainability
Vendor/Technology News
- Amazon plan to invest $1+ billion into communities where it operates data centers
- AT&T experienced outages yesterday (Oct 2, 2026) including in Minnesota
- Arvig Gives $130,000 to Local Schools
- A glimpse at the provider POV: 7 steps to get ready for the next BEAD challenge process
- SpaceX suggests the FCC end rural subsidies
- Mediacom completes 12 fiber broadband projects across Minnesota
- AI leaders sound alarm over growing risks
- There are good reasons for telecom customers to keep copper
- That Flock camera is watching more than geese. It’s helpful to know more.
- Not all data centers are equal. Not all potential locations are equal.
- Amazon Leo files for three new 6-antenna ground stations in Florida, Minnesota, and Texas
Office of Broadband Development Updates and News:
- Office of Broadband Development Update Sep 23 2026: BEAD, Line Extension, Task Force notes and Digital Skill Resource
- BEAD Supplemental Deployment Policy Notice – from the MN Office of Broadband Development
Local Broadband News
Aitkin County
Paul Bunyan Communications nearing completion on FTTH broadband expansion in central Aitkin County
No major data center projects currently planned or proposed in Aitkin County
Albertville
Albertville City Council reviews data center concept in Sep 8 meeting (Wright County)
Anoka and Carver Counties
Comcast’s Xfinity deploys broadband to 13,000 new locations in Chanhassen and Nowthen (Anoka and Carver Counites)
Bemidji
Bemidji Planning Board votes for data center moratorium (Beltrami County)
Bemidji Planning Board continues to discuss data center moratorium and will again on Sep 14, 2026 (Beltrami County)
Brainerd
Brainerd State Patrol talks about using AI to help curb serious crashes (Corw Wing County)
Carlton County
Full details on upcoming study on data centers in Carlton County
Coon Rapids
Striking doctors at Allina concerned about role of AI in decision making (Coon Rapids – Anoka County)
Coon Rapids Police detail work 911 works for calls and how AI helps with non-emergency calls (Anoka County)
Dakota County
Follow up on Castle Rock data center lawsuit dismissal (Dakota County)
Duluth
Duluth resident says there’s still a place for landlines in rural Minnesota
Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce responds to losing members over support of data center (St Louis County)
Eagan
DataBank acquires leased data center in Eagan from Mapletree Industrial Trust (Dakota County)
Faribault
Faribault city council candidates talk data center (Rice County)
Faribault is facing a time crunch meeting agreements made to develop standards for data center proposal (Rice County)
Some folks in Faribault question timing of data center vote so close to Midterm Elections (Rice County)
Faribault is working to have data center standards finalized by November 20226 (Rice County)
Farmington
EVENT Sep 29: Future Data Center Zoning Ordinance Options in Farmington (Dakota County)
Coalition for Responsible Data Center Development withdraws lawsuit due in Farmington to litigation costs (Dakota County)
Fergus Falls
County Commission candidates in Fergus Falls talk about data centers (Otter Tail County)
Goodhue County
Goodhue County Commissioners narrowly approves a $3.21 million USDA ReConnect Program Grant for rural broadband expansion
Harmony
Harmony moves forward with revised proposed data center ordinance (Fillmore County)
Harmony resident speaks out against data center at City Council meeting (Fillmore County)
Local Harmony residents want the City to slow data center regulation decisions (Fillmore County)
Hermantown
Google talks to Hermantown about data center improvements at public meeting (St Louis County)
Heated data center debate in Hermantown city council meeting but they move forward to fund support to guide decisions (St Louis County)
Google’s proposal for data enter in Hermantown gets feedback from DNR and others (St Louis County)
Some small businesses cut ties with Duluth Chamber over Hermantown data center endorsement (St Louis County)
Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce announces support for the proposed Google data center in Hermantown ( St. Louis County)
Hibbing
Paul Bunyan Communications announces expansion to Hibbing (St Louis County)
Hubbard County
Paul Bunyan Communications is almost done with broadband expansion in Hubbard County
Inver Grove Heights
Inver Grove Heights approves data center site plan (Dakota County)
Inver Grove Heights City Council approves a change to its one-year data center moratorium to exclude a company that threatened to sue (Dakota County)
Iron Range
Iron Range’s Aaron Brown offers perspectives on data centers
Itasca and St. Louis Counties
Paul Bunyan Communications is nearing completion on broadband expansion in Itasca and St. Louis Counties
Maple Grove
Permitting issues emerge in Maple Grove with FCC countering local decisions (Hennepin County)
Marshall
Marshall Independent looks a local views on federal funding for local schools (E-Rate)
Mayer
Comcast expands gig broadband to Mayer (Carver County)
Minneapolis
More Minneapolis neighborhoods have data centers on the radar and may attend the Minneapolis Planning Commission meeting on October 13, 2026 (Hennepin County)
Minneapolis’ North Loop residents respond to proposed data center bowing out
Data center developers withdraws deal proposed for Star Tribune building in Minneapolis (Hennepin County)
North Minneapolis event asks how Black communities can shape the AI era
Monticello
Monticello Tech set to pay city costs for data center review (Wright County)
Murray County
PowerOn Midwest plans to build multi-billion dollar power infrastructure in SD and MN (Murray County)
North Mankato City
Candidates for North Mankato City Council talk about data centers during a recent debate
North Mankato City leaders discuss proposed data center moratorium prior to City Council meeting on Sep 21 (Nicollet and Blue Earth Counties)
Olmstead County
Olmsted County is using AI and has guardrails in place for cyber security
Pine Island
Upcoming elections could change the leadership ideas of data centers in Pine Island (Goodhue and Olmsted counties)
Attorney General Ellison’s office raises concerns about energy costs and transparency regarding Google’s Pine Island data center (Goodhue and Olmsted Counties)
Updates on data center issues in Pine Island: environmental review is scheduled for Nov 16 hearing (Goodhue and Olmsted Counties)
Data center supporters in Pine Island ask MCEA to drop its lawsuit (Rice County)
Pine Island anti-data center group hosts info session (Goodhue County)
Community survey in Pine Island shows 75 percent oppose data center (Goodhue County)
Local poll on Pine Island data center project funds 76 percent did not support it (Goodhue and Olmsted Counties)
Plymouth
Plymouth City Council Approves One-Year Moratorium on New Data Centers (Hennepin County)
Rochester
Governor Walz talks about Destination Medical Center and data centers in Rochester (Olmsted County)
Southeast MN
Southeast Minnesota lawmakers listen as residents weigh regulations amid data center talk
Southern MN
Minnesota Public Radio’s Kerri Miller hosts conversation on data centers in Southern MN
St Cloud
St. Cloud Planning Commission delays vote on data center (Stearns, Benton and Sherburne Counties)
EVENT Sep 8: St. Cloud Planning Commission holds a public hearing on data centers
St Louis County
Paul Bunyan Communications Starts Expansion Construction in Hibbing (St Louis County)
Winona
Winona County Board considers temporary data center ban
Woodbury
Woodbury approves moratorium on new data center (Washington County)
6 questions (and answers) on the IronGate data centers in Woodbury (Washington County)
Wright County
Wright County board is grappling with proposed satellite ground station facility
Upcoming Events, Opportunities and Resources
- EVENT Oct 5-9: Virtual Bridging the Digital Divide
- EVENT Oct 6: Northfield City Council to discuss data centers (Rice and Dakota Counties)
- EVENT Oct 8: MN Broadband Task Force Meeting
- EVENT Oct 8: digitalLIFT’s 4th Annual Day of Equity
- EVENT Oct 8: Building for Digital Equity webinar series
- EVENT Oct 26: Women in AI and Data Science Conference
- EVENT Nov 12: MN Broadband Task Force Meeting
EVENT Nov 19, 2026: MN Rural Health Policy Summit - EVENT Nov 30 – Dec 2: AscendRural National Summit
- EVENT Dec 10: MN Broadband Task Force Meeting
- EVENT Feb 24-26, 2026: Net Inclusion 2027
- RESEARCH: To what extent does community-level broadband connectivity reduce the time individuals spend waiting for goods and services?
- OPPORTUNITY: Share Your Expertise at Fiber Broadband Connect 2027
- OPPORTUNITY: Join the Minnesota Cybersecurity Task Force 2026
- Tips to protect Minnesota homeowners from technology-supported real estate scams
- OPPORTUNITY: Submit Comments on the November 2027 NTIA Internet Use Survey