HERMANTOWN, Minn. (Northern News Now) – The City of Hermantown has denied a petition for further environmental review of a data center project proposed for the city.

A group of residents part of the citizen-lead Stop the Hermantown Data Center Group submitted a petition to the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB) in October.

The EQB then passed the petition along to Hermantown to consider. The petition requested further review in the form of an Environmental Assessment Worksheet, which temporarily paused project permitting while the city made its decision.

Hermantown denied the request on Oct. 3. In a letter, city Administrator John Mulder wrote that the city already completed the required level of review in the form of an Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) document.

In a statement, Stop the Hermantown Data Center shared members are disappointed but not surprised by the decision.

The group has filed a lawsuit against Hermantown, claiming the city’s AUAR review is insufficient.

Meanwhile, the project remains in a waiting stage. Mortenson, the developer behind the project, delaying permitting until a community town hall can be scheduled.

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