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Google is illegaly cutting forest to build data centers
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- DeepHorus
Google has been ordered to temporarily halt work on two data centres in Finland after failing to complete environmental impact assessments. The Finnish Licensing and Supervision Authority (LVV) issued the notice on Tuesday, requiring suspension by 23 October at the latest. The sites are in Muhos and Kajaani, part of a €13bn Google project across northern Finland.
Tuike Finland Oy, representing Google, felled 330 hectares of forest in Muhos without completing an EIA, authorities said. In Kajaani, it reportedly logged just under 200 hectares. The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation said the sites had been reduced to “sand.”
LVV said Google had already taken “extensive preparatory measures,” including removing trees, stripping topsoil, and building site roads. Tommi Muilu, head of LVV’s environmental department, said these measures would change the environment and cause impacts the EIA must assess. Google has until next Wednesday to submit a written explanation.
If Google does not comply, LVV said it would consider enforcement proceedings and a fine. The EIA is ongoing and expected to be completed later this year. The order is a major regulatory intervention in Finland’s expanding data-centre sector.
Google said it “understands the concerns” and had “fallen short of our own high standards.” It said it would study LVV’s findings and follow its guidance. It acted in good faith under the Forestry Act and is planting trees across 130 hectares at Muhos.
Tapani Veistola, chief operating officer at the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, called the malpractice a “systemic problem.” He said Muhos was “not a forest any more. It is a sand area.” He blamed the “overheated” data-centre market for speeding up processes and overwhelming small municipalities.
The case highlights tensions between infrastructure demand and environmental oversight. Small municipalities often lack expertise for large projects, Veistola said. As the EIA continues, Google’s regional plans face closer scrutiny and possible penalties.
