Google says it halted work at two Finnish data center sites after regulator order
The Guardian reported that an estimated 250,000 trees were cleared at Muhos before the required environmental assessment was completed.
Google said it suspended preparatory activity at two planned data center sites in Finland after the Licensing and Supervision Authority (LVV) ordered a halt on October 6. The order followed land clearing undertaken before the required environmental assessments were finished.
According to the Guardian, an estimated 250,000 trees were removed from 330 hectares at Muhos in northern Finland, where topsoil was also stripped. Mari Annala, an ecologist with the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, estimated that about 150,000 additional trees were felled at Otanmäki near Kajaani.
Google’s subsidiary Tuike Finland was given until October 23 to stop activity that changes the land at both locations, pending completion of the assessments. Google said it stopped after receiving LVV’s letters on October 6 and had formally confirmed that to the authority.
Tuike Finland had argued that building legislation permitted tree removal and digging ahead of construction without a permit. Muhos municipality had also told Google that preparatory work was possible. LVV rejected that interpretation, saying the environmental assessment requirements remained applicable regardless of the municipality’s position on building permits.
Google plans nine data center buildings at the 571-hectare Muhos property. It told the Guardian it intends to plant trees on 130 hectares there, a measure conservationists consider insufficient to compensate for the clearing.
Antti Järvinen, Google’s country manager for Finland, apologized in an October 13 interview with Yle. He said the company had followed its understanding of the legislation at the time.
