Appeal fails against exemption for Verne Global data centre

The Environmental and Natural Resources Appeals Committee has rejected a demand by the Náttúrugriða association to overturn a decision allowing construction of Verne Global’s data centre in Reykjanesbær to proceed without an environmental impact assessment, mbl.is reports.

The decision by the Housing, Construction and Planning Authority concerned the data centre’s development on Valhallarbraut in the Ásbrú development area. The committee concluded that the authority had sufficient information to determine whether the project could have significant environmental effects.

The Icelandic Institute of Natural History said significant environmental effects were unlikely because the area had already been considerably disturbed. Reykjanesbær and the Suðurnes Health Inspectorate also found no grounds for requiring an environmental assessment.

The committee said the authority had adequately assessed the relevant factors and found no defects in the decision that would justify annulling it.