Google Apologizes for Illegally Clearing Forests for Data Centers

Google’s head of operations in Finland has apologized for the unauthorized clearing of forests to build data centers near Muhos. Approximately 330 hectares of forest in the area have been turned into muddy ground. The company was also ordered to stop work at another site located approximately 89 km southeast of the village of Otanmäki. Nearly 200 hectares of forest have been cleared there. The total affected area has therefore exceeded 530 hectares. According to reports, wolves displaced from the forest entered nearby villages.

Anni Ranta, a 53-year-old resident of Otanmäki, said that wolves began entering the village after wild animals moved away from the area. Ranta’s family has lived in the village for generations. Local residents consider the situation dangerous for people. They are also unhappy about the noise from construction and industrial activity. According to residents, the water in small streams has turned brown, and rare birds have also left the area.

A representative of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation described the violation of environmental rules as blatant and unprecedented. Finland’s Licensing and Supervision Authority, LVV, demanded that the projects near Muhos and Otanmäki be halted. The authority had previously also requested that construction work be suspended in the Muhos and Kajaani areas. New data centers were being built in those areas to run artificial intelligence systems.

A Google representative said the company would comply with all of LVV’s requirements and continue an open dialogue with government authorities. The company also emphasized that it wanted to strengthen cooperation with the Finnish government and local organizations. Some residents are concerned that the US company’s data centers could make Finland a more attractive target for a possible Russian attack.