US EditionMinnesota senators take up nondisclosure agreements on data centers
The bill targets nondisclosure agreements for local officials amid rising data center projects, aiming to boost transparency after officials regretted signing NDAs, a key issue noted by lawmakers.
- On Tuesday, the Minnesota Senate State and Local Government Committee advanced a bill prohibiting local officials from signing nondisclosure agreements for data center projects.
- Authored by Sen. Grant Hauschild, DFL-Hermantown, the bill addresses transparency concerns following resident pushback against a Google data center project in his district.
- St. Louis County Commissioner Annie Harala testified in support, calling her prior NDA a "hard and necessary lesson" that created a "wall" between her and constituents.
- Sen. Andrew Mathews, R-Princeton, criticized the proposal as "very hypocritical," noting the state government "readily uses" NDAs for other developments like solar fields.
- A separate bipartisan House proposal seeks to ban all local government NDAs, not just data centers, while advocates lobby for a statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data center projects.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Duluth News Tribune
Minnesota senators take up nondisclosure agreements on data centers
ST. PAUL — Minnesota senators on Tuesday, March 24, advanced a bill out of the Senate State and Local Government Committee that would prohibit local officials from entering into nondisclosure agreements for data center projects. The bill is one of several that lawmakers have introduced this session in response to hyperscale data centers projects — some from big tech companies — popping up across Minnesota. A similar proposal with bipartisan supp…
MN residents opposed to data centers take their fight to legislators
A coalition of Minnesotans opposed to the development of data centers has a wishlist for the current legislative session with a hierarchy of priorities. Banning local officials from signing non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, would be nice, they say. Ditto for requiring public hearings and disclosures prior to the approval of data center permits. What the group wants above all, though, is a moratorium on proposed projects in Hermantown, Pine Isl…
Lawmakers advance bills to lift secrecy surrounding data center projects
Bill would prohibit local governments from entering into NDAs with private companies Shay Scanlan Report for Minnesota Lawmakers are moving to require big technology companies to provide more information to the public when they plan to build data centers in Minnesota communities. One measure would prohibit local governments from entering into non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, with...
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