Walker Orenstein

1 week ago | startribune.com | Walker Orenstein

By Walker Orenstein The Trump administration says it is releasing funds that help people pay utility bills and prevent power shutoffs, which Minnesota officials said was at risk when the feds laid off the entire staff of the program that distributes the cash. "With today's announcement, all available LIHEAP funding for this fiscal year will be released," Andrew Gradison, a Trump official with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said in a news release.

2 weeks ago | startribune.com | Walker Orenstein

Gov. Tim Walz said Saturday there should be a higher bar for approving copper-nickel mines near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness compared to other areas, and cast doubt on whether technology is advanced enough to produce the metals without polluting water. "I just think you have to take it into the context of how special the place is," Walz said. "Is the technology able to do it?

1 month ago | mankatofreepress.com | Walker Orenstein |Eva Herscowitz

Questions about the quantities of water needed to keep data centers cool has become another point of contention in the debate over the industry’s explosive growth in Minnesota. That water use isn’t nearly as dramatic as the electricity needed for the data centers planned in Minnesota, which could surpass the usage of every home in the state. But planning commissioners in one Twin Cities community have cited demands on water infrastructure as a reason to block a project.

1 month ago | govtech.com | Walker Orenstein |Eva Herscowitz |Chloe Johnson

That water use isn’t nearly as dramatic as the electricity needed for the data centers planned in Minnesota, which could surpass the usage of every home in the state. But planning commissioners in one Twin Cities community have cited demands on water infrastructure as a reason to block a project. At the Capitol, DFL lawmakers want data centers to publicly disclose how much water and energy they use.

1 month ago | startribune.com | Walker Orenstein

Localized groundwater risks Most companies and cities that responded to the Minnesota Star Tribune said the data centers are expected to draw from groundwater, not lakes or rivers. Heavy groundwater use has risks, said Carrie Jennings, research and policy director for the nonprofit Freshwater.