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Oct 28, 2026

Press Release: Proposed Pine Island data center to undergo new environmental review process under terms of settlement

DATE: 10/28/26 

CONTACT: Sarah Horner, MCEA, shorner@mncenter.org, 612-868-3024; Google, press@google.com, Ryan Companies, ryan.pr@ryancompanies.com, City of Pine Island, info@pineislandmn.gov

Pine Island, Minnesota – Google and Ryan Companies’ proposed data center in Pine Island will be the first in Minnesota to undergo a new state environmental review process as part of a lawsuit settlement reached this week over the project. The parties, including the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA), the City of Pine Island (City), developer Ryan Companies (Ryan), and Google, announced the settlement on Wednesday. 

Under the agreement, MCEA will dismiss the lawsuit, and Google and Ryan will undergo a new Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) submitted to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) as the responsible governmental unit (RGU). The parties agreed to propose that the MPCA’s study cover a detailed analysis of how the data center proposal would affect a wide range of environmental and community concerns, including water and energy impacts and noise and light pollution. As part of the study, Ryan and Google have agreed to develop a plan to mitigate those effects, which they will present to the MPCA and the City. 

Pine Island residents, other government agencies, and all Minnesotans will have the opportunity to review and comment on the new study and mitigation plan during a proposed extended 60-day comment period. If the MPCA determines that the EAW and mitigation plan are adequate, it will return the mitigation plan to the Pine Island City Council. The City Council will then gather final public comments and vote on the proposed mitigation plan.  The project cannot be constructed unless and until the MPCA and City approve the mitigation plan. 

Other details stipulated in the settlement include: 

  • That the study’s scope includes, at a minimum, analysis of the proposal's impacts to: groundwater, surface water, greenhouse gas emissions, noise, air pollution, fuel storage, wastewater disposal, grid capacity, energy use, handling of refrigerants and other chemicals for cooling or other purposes, light pollution, on-site energy generation, cumulative potential effects, and the proposal’s impact on Minnesota’s climate goals; 
  • That all studies the company conducted for the proposal be shared with the public at the time it is submitted to the state;
  • That the developers will ask the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to hold a 60-day public comment period on the plan and respond to submitted comments, as well as a public in-person meeting and one virtual meeting;
  • That the EAW will include a mitigation plan that details the steps the project will commit to taking to reduce the proposal’s environmental and community impacts;
  • That the City Council will gather public comments during a 30-day public comment period, consider and respond to comments, and then vote on the mitigation plan.

By entering into this settlement, the parties agree that none has made any admission about the allegations in the lawsuit, including the adequacy or inadequacy of the AUAR. The settlement agreement does not revoke the AUAR, CUP, or PUD.  

Questions and interview requests about today’s press release can be directed to the parties’ respective contacts listed at the top of this release. 

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About the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy: MCEA is the state’s leading environmental law organization, using the law and science to protect Minnesota’s environment, its natural resources, and the health of its people for more than 50 years.