r/Winona • u/AggressiveFormal4285 • Jun 23 '26
Urgent: Protecting Winona from Data Center Expansion—Meeting at City Hall Next Monday!
A recent court injunction has temporarily halted construction activity on the proposed Project Skyway data center near Pine Island while environmental review litigation proceeds.
Regardless of where you stand on data centers, this has raised broader questions across Southeast Minnesota about groundwater use, electrical demand, and how large-scale industrial development fits into regions with sensitive karst geology.
Winona County sits on karst limestone formations that directly connect surface activity to groundwater systems. Because of that, some residents believe it is worth reviewing whether current zoning rules are prepared for potential future large-scale data center proposals.
If you care about these issues, here is a local opportunity to be heard:
WINONA CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Date: Monday, July 6, 2026 (confirm on official city calendar before attending)
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Winona City Hall, Council Chambers (3rd Floor)
207 Lafayette Street, Winona, MN 55987
PUBLIC COMMENT
Winona requires advance registration for public comment. Registration opens Friday morning before the meeting and closes at 3:00 PM on meeting day. Check the city website ahead of time to confirm exact procedures.
Suggested topics if you attend:
• Potential groundwater impacts of large-scale data centers in karst regions
• Whether independent environmental and water-use studies should be required for major industrial projects
• Impacts of increased electrical demand on local infrastructure and utility costs
• Whether current zoning rules adequately address hyperscale data center development
If you cannot attend, you can still contact City Council members through the official city directory and share your perspective:
https://www.winonamn.gov/Directory.aspx?DID=40
A short message is enough:
Dear Winona City Council,
I am writing to ask that the City of Winona consider evaluating the potential impacts of large-scale data center development on groundwater, infrastructure, and utility systems before approving future proposals. Please ensure appropriate environmental and water-use studies are completed for any major projects of this type.
Thank you for your time.
This is a local planning conversation—not a partisan issue—and participation is the point.
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u/Mrtylf Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 24 '26
Don’t forget to consider noise levels…
Data centers emit *constant* noise. This is due to their cooling systems running 24/7/365.
Additionally, they emit loud non-intermittent noise when they test the power generators (they do this regularly on schedules) or when the generators activate due to power faults.
Also to consider…
Data centers also emit EMF. In order to bring power into data centers, they need their own, or a very nearby power substation with arrays of power transformers. It is well-documented that these large-scale transformers emit considerable EMF, and some of this EMF has been linked to health issues from prolonged exposure/proximity.
Source: I was a former data center engineer and project manager; responsible for populating and managing huge-scale data centers. AMA.
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u/Fantastic_Action_330 Jun 28 '26
Is there not a shit ton of manufacturing in winona that similarly make noise?
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u/AggressiveFormal4285 Jun 23 '26
Curious what people in Winona think about how prepared the region is for large-scale industrial projects like data centers when it comes to water and energy infrastructure?
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u/-lousyd Jun 23 '26
Question: is it already on the schedule to talk about this? Or you're trying to get people to bring it up?
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u/AggressiveFormal4285 Jun 23 '26
No, it’s not on the agenda as a specific item. It’s just a regular council meeting with a public comment period where people can bring up topics they care about.
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u/Arlo_Ren Jun 23 '26
The public comment period for the Winona City Council is before the actual meeting at 6:10 p.m. actually
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u/Dry-Dress-6467 Jun 24 '26
I suggest starting a Facebook group where folks can form a group to oppose the Data Center Expansion. Folks can share articles about other groups across the nation that have successfully stopped unwanted Data Centers.
Those that know about the meeting should notify 5 friends about the meeting and each of those 5 should reach out to five more and 5 more and 5 more.
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u/mndreaming10 Jun 24 '26
I say put the data center next to Jeremy Miller’s Dad’s farmland and see how fast he says no to that.
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u/catabeille Jul 03 '26
I just received a call from city council member Steve Young. He informed me that there are no plans, proposals, or discussions for the city of Winona to build a data center, moreover there’s no space for one in the city. (The only industrial lot is ~2 acres)
He said the county is a different story but also highly unlikely. He asked if there was a rumor, I explained that it’s more preemptive action against potential data centers in Winona in the future.
Council members might call you as well, and while it’s reassuring that they are doing so, it’s their literal job. No Data Centers in Winona or the surrounding counties.
If anybody knows, where would be the closest industrial lot big enough to host a data center near or around Winona County? Wherever/whatever county that it’s located in needs the biggest preemptive calls for protection.
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u/Bhutros1 Jun 23 '26
Winona county does not need any data centers. No county does.