Google bypassing Linn County to try to build data center
KCRG • • business
Key Points:
- Google has withdrawn its plan to build a data center in unincorporated Linn County, Iowa, and is now seeking to build within the city of Palo's jurisdiction through annexation.
- The Linn County Board of Supervisors had recently approved an ordinance requiring detailed water use studies and agreements on environmental and community impacts for large projects like data centers.
- The ordinance mandates developers to address water usage, setbacks, lighting, noise, traffic, and road use, with Google expected to need 12 million gallons of water daily from the Cedar River for cooling servers.
- Board Chair Kirsten Running-Marquardt stated Google chose to avoid the county's regulatory protections, while Supervisor Sami Scheetz expressed disappointment and urged Palo to implement similar protective measures
