Google carried out months of site work before Finnish agency intervened

Google carried out extensive logging and other preparatory work at planned data centre sites in Muhos and Kajaani between March and September, before Finland’s Permit and Supervisory Agency stepped in, Yle reports. The projects’ environmental impact assessments were not complete.

The agency, known as LVV, said it received information about the work in Muhos only in late August. It says it will review how it handled oversight and identify possible improvements, according to Sari Myllyoja, head of its communities and infrastructure unit.

The first information came from the Oulu region environmental office, which reported possible impacts on waterways near the Muhos site. At a site meeting on 27 August, LVV learned about logging and other work there.

LVV said it had not received information from Google, the municipalities or the Finnish Forest Centre before then. The agency receives reports from the Forest Centre only when a logging area contains plant or animal species significant under nature conservation law. No such species were present at these sites.

LVV began its formal inquiry on 18 September, requesting information from Google and both municipalities. On 6 October, it told Google to suspend preparatory work that significantly changes the environment at the planned projects in Muhos and Kajaani.

Google’s country manager, Antti Järvinen, apologised on 13 October for the company’s actions, saying it had acted to the best of its understanding. On 22 October, LVV said it had asked police to investigate the Muhos project and was seeking further information from Google about water management there. It has not made a police report about the Kajaani project.

The larger works remain suspended at both sites. Yle’s account of LVV’s comments on the timing of its inquiry ends before the agency’s full response is reported.