The lawsuit seeks to review the alleged data center projects

An environmental organization filed a lawsuit against two cities in Minnesota this week, claiming that it has failed to conduct sufficient environmental reviews for major development projects.

The Minnesota Center for Environmental Call against Lakefil and North Mancato seeks to stop what it says are large data center projects in each city until the additional reviews are completed.

North Mancato and Cavel officials did not get the projects as data centers, but MCEA said it had acquired emails sent to North Mankato employees who announce that the city has a contract with the developers of the data center, according to public records.

“Our goal as an institution is that we want to ensure the understanding and study of environmental effects, and that citizens get an opportunity for weight,” said Mca Kathryn Hoffman. “Such a process where the documents are not really described what the project is at all … It is not the way our democracy or local participation must occur.”

In a MPR news statement, a spokesman for North Mankato said:

“The city of North Mancato is familiar with the case recently filed and is currently working to review allegations and relevant documents in consultation with the legal advisor. Since this issue involves litigation, we will refrain from providing additional comments at this time."

Justin Miller, Director of Lekeville City, said:

“Lakefil followed the standard process for an alternative review at the area of the area related to Olam Holdings, and the city council officially accepted the report on July 7, 2025.”

According to the lawsuit, Auars, which includes a “large specific project”, needs to include a project description and study of future environmental impacts.

Medium -sized data center Consume About 300,000 gallons of water per day, but the largest center can use more.

Data centers also use large amounts of electricity. “If all the currently proposed data centers are built in the state, it will consume a lot of electricity like every home in Minnesota,” MCEA said.

Hoffman said: “Do we need distribution lines, do we need to expand the gas factory … for the service (data center). We don’t really know it,” Hoffman said. “We have a target for all carbon -free energy in Minnesota by 2040 and increasing the demand for electricity without making sure that we have clean energy resources … that endangers these goals.”

MCEA suggests implementation Environmental Impact Data. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, EISS provides information “prepared by federal agencies” to the public. MCEA said that EISS “is likely to manage the state, not by a local government.”

The population who lives near their proposed data centers as well Arise Environmental concerns.

Minnesota Star Tribune I mentioned In July, there are plans for 11 “huge” data centers, and that Amazon A similar project was suspended earlier this year.