Google cleared forest before its environmental assessment was complete

Google received environmental guidance from Finland’s Ministry of the Environment as it prepared a 13 billion euro data centre investment, then cleared more than 300 hectares of forest in Muhos before a legally required environmental assessment was complete, Yle reports. Police are investigating suspected environmental damage.

Documents reviewed by Yle show that Google representatives met ministry officials in Helsinki in March 2025. The meeting was initially planned to cover environmental administration reform and ecological compensation, but Google also asked to discuss the environmental impact assessment process for its projects.

Ministry officials say they made no promises to the company. Juhani Damski, the ministry’s permanent secretary, said the meeting covered requirements for a large investment and that Google wanted to understand changes to the environmental permitting system. He said the company received the same service as any other business.

At the time, regional ELY Centres handled environmental impact assessments. Responsibility moved to the new Permit and Supervisory Agency at the start of 2026. Damski said permitting itself was not the ministry’s responsibility. Google did not comment on the discussion about the assessment process, but said it presented its projects in Finland.

Yle’s investigation found that the government worked for years to secure Google’s investment. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo asked officials to help advance the project after Google contacted him in spring 2024. In November that year, the state sold the company 1,400 hectares of land in Muhos and Kajaani.

Google announced in September 2026 that it would build data centres in Muhos, Kajaani and Vaala. A planned electricity grid law in 2027 could delay the project, according to Yle.