HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS
MINNESOTA NEEDS TO REGULATE DATA CENTERS TO PROTECT OUR PEOPLE AND PLACES
Right now, more than two dozen hyperscale data centers are being proposed in Minnesota.
These massive warehouses of servers and equipment are sought by big tech companies like Meta, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft to generate the computing power they say they need for the future of artificial intelligence.
These data centers not only emit noise and light pollution, they also consume a massive amount of electricity – an increase in energy consumption that is being used to justify maintaining or building new fossil-fuel-powered plants. Promises to meet clean energy standards by 2040 are not enough if data centers drive up climate-change-fueled emissions in the meantime.
Right now, more than two dozen hyperscale data centers are being proposed in Minnesota.
These massive warehouses of servers and equipment are sought by big tech companies like Meta, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft to generate the computing power they say they need for the future of artificial intelligence.
These data centers not only emit noise and light pollution, they also consume a massive amount of electricity – an increase in energy consumption that is being used to justify maintaining or building new fossil-fuel-powered plants. Promises to meet clean energy standards by 2040 are not enough if data centers drive up climate-change-fueled emissions in the meantime.
Right now, more than two dozen hyperscale data centers are being proposed in Minnesota.
These massive warehouses of servers and equipment are sought by big tech companies like Meta, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft to generate the computing power they say they need for the future of artificial intelligence.
These data centers not only emit noise and light pollution, they also consume a massive amount of electricity – an increase in energy consumption that is being used to justify maintaining or building new fossil-fuel-powered plants. Promises to meet clean energy standards by 2040 are not enough if data centers drive up climate-change-fueled emissions in the meantime.
Tech companies often ask local government officials to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) about their proposed data centers. Big tech also lobbied to extend Minnesota sales tax exemptions on the hardware and software they use – moving the phaseout for those tax breaks from 2042 to 2077.
Minnesota's lax regulation is a magnet to these companies – right now, they can get their plans approved in secret and take advantage of tax breaks to increase their profits.
We can't wait.
Minnesota legislators need to either pass a moratorium on building hyperscale data centers or pass the regulatory framework we need to protect communities.
If hyperscale data centers are built in Minnesota, they must be good neighbors and be responsible to our climate so that we can:
- Protect our water, land, air and ecosystems from their pollution;
- Ensure that these companies are honest about where they’re building and what these data centers will cost our communities;
- Prevent climate-change driving emissions and other pollution by requiring that data centers are powered by 100% new solar and wind from the start;
- Make sure these energy companies are paying their fair share by repealing the tax exemptions on hardware, software, and constuction;
- Ensure data centers aren't straining the grid and jeoparding the reliability of electricity for the people who live in Minnesota.
TAKE ACTION
CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS AND CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE TO TELL THEM TO PROTECT PEOPLE AND CLIMATE FROM DATA CENTERS
Governor: Ask Governor Walz and all gubernatorial candidates to tell them that we need an to put in place a hyperscale data center moratorium right now.
Legislators: Please also contact your State Senator, your State Representative and legislative candidates to ask them to support a Data Center Moratorium Bill and a strong regulatory framework to protect community interests.
Key Messages:
- Thank them for running for office or holding office
- Ask them to support strong regulations for data centers that protect people, our places and climate
- Share your concerns about the way Minnesota is treating data centers
Not sure what to say?
We’ve put together an email to get you started. Just put your information in and it’ll create an email draft just for you – feel free to edit to specify your concerns.
Click here to generate your email.
You may wish to pick from among these concerns:
- TAX BREAKS: Giving away hundreds of millions in tax breaks to billionaire tech companies and their CEO’s who are the richest people in the world.
- WATER and LAND: Insufficient regulation around water and land use.
- NDAs: Inappropriate use of non-disclosure agreements which is keeping communities in the dark about what is happening.
- LOST JOBS: AI is making whole categories of jobs irrelevant. Is that what we want?
- CLIMATE POLLUTION: Energy to power data centers will increase the emissions that are driving climate change when we must be on a path of continually reducing those emissions to zero.
Once you’ve sent your email, let us know by filling out this form.
Thank you for joining your fellow Minnesotans in pushing for this moratorium!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Check out this fact sheet about the risks of hyperscale data centers in Minnesota.
More resources to come!
In November 2025, we hosted a webinar about what happens when a data center comes to town. Check out this recording to learn more!