Attention‼️⚠️ Meeting with Governor Walz Enact a Two-Year Moratorium on Data Centers NOW!
We have secured a meeting with the Minnesota Governor's Office regarding our petition for a two-year moratorium on Hyperscaled Data Centers! This meeting is scheduled for this week, and we urge anyone who hasn't signed the petition to do so today, as having more signatures will strengthen our presentation to the Governor!
Petition Link: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/mndatacentermoratorium
We have packed the invite list with 15 amazing community organizers and leaders, who have been working on this issue.
Our line up is:
Great Grand Mother Mary Lyons "GGML" (IEN),
Leanna Goose (CJC),
Gina Peltier (Mukwa),
Joey Peltier (Mukwa),
Rachel Dion Thunder (IPM),
Dawn Goodwin (R.I.S.E.),
Niibi Ogichitaa Kew of Prairie Island,
Kelly Applegate (Commissioner of Natural Resources with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe),
Aubrey Derkson (Stop Pine Island DC)
Rebecca Gilbertson (Stop Hermantown DC),
Carrie Umpierre (Stop Hermantown DC),
Cathy Johnson (CRDCD),
Gary Johnson (CRDCD),
Patty O'Keefe (Vote Solar),
Avonna Starck (CleanWater).
We won’t have enough time for each one of us to speak although we have a handful of our most powerfulest and impacting invitees to break down these three topics to the governor’s office; Impact on Tribal Communities, updates from Minnesota impacted communities and the moratorium and how to implement it. With 30 minutes to cover these topics, we also plan on supplying the governor’s office with printed material and facts around Hyperscale Data Center, along with our individual written commentary and recommendations. We are hopeful that this will be a fruitful conversation that could lead into potential action!
New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul recently approved of a Hyperscale Data Center moratorium. A moratorium doesn’t solve the underlying policy failures. But it does tell you something important: lawmakers are realizing they’ve been asked to sign off on a growth model that can impose long-term public costs (grid upgrades, rate impacts, water and land pressures) while delivering thin job creation and huge tax losses. Minnesota’s legislative body failed to pass any regulatory policies around these Hyperscale Data Center’s, as SF 4298 was tossed from the floor due to the senate rules, of being essentially moot.
Additionally local governments are not waiting for state capitols: at least 63 local data-center moratorium actions have been introduced, considered, or adopted across dozens of towns and counties. Some 54 have already passed (often as short “time-out” freezes while zoning and utility-impact rules are rewritten), while nine more are introduced/proposed or under active consideration. The City of Minneapolis implemented a six month moratorium to end in December.
It’s time for the Minnesota Governor to do what this current legislative body was unable to do and that is implement a two-year moratorium on Hyperscale Data Centers, until we are able to establish a regulatory framework to protect our families, communities and all the wonders of great state. Governor Walz Enact a Two-Year Moratorium on Data Centers NOW!
Additionally, our team requires your support. As a grassroots organization funded by micro-grants, we are seeking $300.00 to cover our fuel and vehicle rental expenses, enabling our team to attend this important meeting. Please consider donating today at: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?campaign_id=YERCTN5SY5DZY
