The emerging debate over data centers in Minnesota poses a question Democrats nationally will increasingly have to answer: Can we be the party that demands strong environmental protections, community input and corporate accountability — and still be the party that builds things?
Pine Island, Minn., is becoming a test case.
In early September, one of the community’s larger employers announced that it would close its metal-finishing plant, eliminating 55 jobs. At nearly the same time, Pine Island was preparing for a very different economic future: a major technology development that could bring new investment, tax revenue and jobs to the community.
But that project is now caught in litigation.
This is precisely the tension Democrats need to resolve. The choice should not be between writing a blank check to developers and making major investment practically impossible. Minnesota has already begun constructing a third way: set tough rules, protect ratepayers and natural resources, require transparency, give communities a meaningful voice — and then allow projects that meet those standards to move forward.
