The Mankato Free Press reports…

An opportunity to learn more about large-scale data centers from a coalition of area environmentalists drew more than 70 people to a Mankato church basement Saturday.

More than two hours of presentations were made by experts in technology, aquifers and environmental health, along with residents of a pair of Minnesota communities where massive data center proposals have prompted intense community opposition.

“What’s the Data on Data Centers? A People’s Hearing on Public Health, Environmental Justice and Greater Mankato’s Future” came two months after business owners and local leaders gathered for a Greater Mankato Growth panel discussion focused largely on the economic benefits of the growing data center industry.

Focused on members of the local chamber of commerce, the GMG forum left the broader community feeling excluded, said Sabri Fair of the Southcentral Minnesota Clean Energy Council during introductory comments at Saturday’s event at Grace Lutheran Church.

“There was a lot of uproar from the community members wanting to be part of the conversation,” Fair said.

The result was a much more dire and decidedly skeptical look at the mammoth computer processing centers that are being constructed at an ever-increasing pace around the nation and world to meet the demands of  artificial intelligence, online commerce, entertainment streaming, social media, cryptocurrency and more.

Theia Global reports…

Otsego City Council plans a public hearing on July 27 for a proposed one-year moratorium on new data center applications. This move aims to develop consistent zoning regulations amidst growing public concerns regarding data center projects.

On July 27, the Otsego City Council will address a proposal for a one-year moratorium on new data center applications. The aim is to allow time for uniform zoning regulations that will dictate the locations permissible for data center construction.

Currently, Otsego has no data centers or pending proposals, following a trend in Minnesota where several cities have enacted similar moratoriums due to rising public opposition to these projects. Elk River, a neighboring city, has recently denied a data center application after public outcry and is also considering a moratorium. The outcome of Otsego’s hearing may influence future data center regulations across the region.

KAAL 6 News reports…

After months of opposition to a proposed data center in Pine Island, some residents spoke in favor of the project during Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.

Supporters told council members they believe the data center would bring economic benefits to the community, including new investment and growth for the city.

Construction on the project remains on hold after a judge issued a court order in response to a lawsuit raising environmental concerns.

A hearing in the case is scheduled for Thursday 23 July.

A notice from the planners…

A People’s Hearing on Public Health, Environmental Justice, and Greater Mankato’s Future

How might data centers impact our climate and health? What’s happening in Greater Mankato – and what can you do about it?

Join us for a presentation and Q&A session on how AI-driven data center growth could impact our community’s health and climate — and what you can do about it. Share your experiences, voice your concerns, advocate for stronger policies, and connect with fellow community members and advocates. Your input can help shape fairer data center policy and implementation.

Event hosted by the Southcentral Minnesota Clean Energy Council, Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate, Many Rivers Network, and Global Civilian Coalition.

The Fillmore County Journal reports…

At the July 14 Harmony City Council meeting, the consent agenda was approved and included the minutes of the special and regular meetings on June 9, the claims and June checks, the investment report and cash balances, the budget year-to-date, and an annual step increase for Financial Clerk Karen Apenhorst.

And here’s the information on data centers…

The second draft of the Data Center ordinance is ready to review. City Attorney Greg Schieber recommended holding another joint planning session to go over it. The council approved a joint planning session on August 5 at 6 p.m. at the community center. The council also requested that it be posted on the city’s Facebook page as well as the usual posting spots. To avoid the meeting going too late into the evening, questions and comments from the public will not be accepted at that time, but there will be forums for those at a later date.

The City Council met in March 2026 to discuss the data centers. The Fillmore County Journal reported back then…

Members of the Harmony City Council, the EDA, and the Planning and Zoning Commission met on March 18 for another joint planning session to continue discussing the creation of a city ordinance to govern a data center if one were built in Harmony. As of now, there is no development agreement or specific company that is planning to build a data center in Harmony, but there are multiple companies interested due to the fact that MiEnergy and Dairyland Power Cooperative have excess energy available. The joint meetings between the three groups ensures that everyone is on the same page throughout the process of drafting the ordinance and for full transparency to the public. At each of the meetings, the public is welcome to ask questions and give input. Currently, the first draft of the ordinance is in its end stages.

The article go on with great detail about what had been discussion and/or decided.

The Pine Journal reports…

The Carlton County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing next month on a proposal to establish a one-year moratorium on data center constru-5twithin Carlton County.

After discussing a moratorium at length last week, commissioners unanimously voted Tuesday to schedule a hearing for Aug. 24 at 4:15 p.m. A public hearing is legally required before the board can pass an ordinance, noted Chris Berg, the county’s zoning and environmental services administrator.

City Council Tables Eviction Moratorium

The proposed ordinance, which comes at the urging of grassroots organizers, would pause data center construction and authorize a study on whether additional regulation within the county would be required.

Some residents have been sounding the alarm after it became known that Silver Brook Township on the eastern edge of the county is one of three locations being considered for a data center.

Minneapolis Times reports…

As Minneapolis moves toward a permanent zoning framework for data centers, City Council Members Elizabeth Shaffer and Michael Rainville convened a downtown community conversation aimed at separating large-scale fears from the smaller urban projects now being discussed for the city’s core.

Amid a looming municipal budget crisis and a rapidly shifting commercial real estate market, Minneapolis city leaders and industry experts gathered Thursday night to map out the future of urban data center development.

The “Community Conversation,” co-hosted by City Council Members Elizabeth Shaffer (Ward 7) and Michael Rainville (Ward 3) at the Public Service Building, arrived at a critical legislative juncture. Earlier that afternoon, the City Council passed a temporary moratorium on data center developments in a razor-thin vote. The pause is intended to give officials time to establish a permanent zoning framework, a process set to include 60 days of public engagement this summer with a final ordinance target date in mid-November 2026.