Google’s Muhos data centre project likely to be delayed

Google’s planned data centre in Muhos, North Ostrobothnia, is likely to face delays, Yle reports, citing an assessment by Environment and Climate Minister Sari Multala in an interview with Helsingin Sanomat.

Multala said the delay could stem from large-scale tree felling carried out for the project. Google and its contractors are suspected of acting improperly during the logging, she said.

Google arranged extensive logging at the site in spring and summer but did not carry out an environmental impact assessment. Finnish law requires an assessment when trees are permanently removed from a continuous area of more than 200 hectares. Google says the cleared area covers 330 hectares.

If a permit was granted without the required assessment, it could be appealed on that basis, Multala said. If the circumstances are as they appear, she said, the process will probably be slowed.