Finland orders halt to two Google datacentre sites over forest clearance without environmental assessment

Finnish regulators have ordered Google to suspend preparatory work at two planned datacentres until it completes environmental impact assessments for forest-cleared sites.

• The Finnish Licensing and Supervision Authority ordered Tuike Finland, representing Google, to suspend environment-altering preparatory measures at Muhos and Kajaani by 23 October.
• Tuike Finland felled about 330 hectares of forest in Muhos and nearly 200 hectares in Kajaani without completing a mandatory environmental impact assessment.
• LVV environment chief Tommi Muilu said the measures would change the environment, whose identification and assessment are key objectives of the EIA procedure.
• Google said it had fallen short of its own high standards, would follow LVV's guidance, and plans tree planting across 130 hectares at Muhos.