Finnish police have opened a criminal investigation into Google’s clear-cutting of land for a data centre project near the town of Muhos, in the northern part of the country, which represented a possible violation of environmental law, in an incident that has spurred public debate about the many such projects planned for the Nordic country.
Google subsidiary Tuike Finland cleared and drained 330 hectares (815 acres) of forest at the planned site before legally required environmental impact assessments had been completed, police said.
“Based on preliminary information, there have been ambiguities and shortcomings in the drainage and water management at the construction site of Tuike Finland Oy’s data centre project,” police stated, adding that the probe was likely to continue into next year.
Work halted
On 6 October Finland’s Supervisory Agency (SVV), which oversees environmental permits and assessments, ordered Google to halt preparatory measures at the Muhos site and another in Otanmäki, about 100km to the south-east, saying the required environmental assessments hadn’t been completed before clear-cutting began.
Campaigners estimate 250,000 trees have been cut at Muhos and 150,000 at Otanmäki.
Google’s Finland country manager, Antti Järvinen, apologised for the forest clearings, claiming Google acted according to the best understanding it had of the legislation at the time.
The company’s investment of at least €13 billion (£10.8bn) into AI infrastructure in Finland was hailed by Finland’s prime minister at the time as providing “lasting benefits” to the country.
But the clear-cutting incident has raised questions for residents over the potential negative impacts of the use of natural resources and power – controversies that have already fuelled a major backlash against data centres in other countries, including the UK.
More than 93,000 people have signed a national petition demanding more data centre regulation and compensation for environmental damage, in a popular reaction similar to those seen elsewhere.