Finnish authorities halt Muhos data center after 250,000 trees cleared
Google's plan to build a massive data center near Muhos has sparked outrage after the company cleared about 250,000 trees without proper environmental checks.
Finnish authorities have now ordered Google to stop work, especially since residents say the tree loss is already causing issues like brown water flowing off the site into a stream that feeds the Oulujoki River.
Antti Jarvinen apologizes, 93,000-plus sign petition
Google's Finland country manager, Antti Jarvinen, apologized and said they misunderstood the rules, but many Finns aren't buying it.
More than 93,000 people have signed a petition demanding stricter controls on data centers.
The government had backed Google's €13 billion AI project for its economic promise, but now faces tough questions as people weigh tech growth against protecting nature, especially with elections coming up.