La police finlandaise enquête sur des travaux de construction pour le centre de données de Google

Police in Oulu, a major city in northern Finland, have opened a criminal investigation into alleged violations of environmental protection laws connected to construction work for a Google data centre. The probe focuses on the site in the municipality of Muhos, southeast of Oulu, where authorities suspect excessive tree felling occurred. According to public broadcaster Yle, investigators have also identified deficiencies in the drainage and water management systems at the construction site. Additional charges could emerge as the inquiry proceeds. Police expect the investigation to continue until next year, though they aim to release further information publicly in December. Tuike Finland, a subsidiary of the US technology giant, is conducting the construction work at two locations intended for Google data centres. Early this month, the national supervisory agency, known as LVV, ordered Tuike Finland to cease all environmentally altering activities, including tree felling, earthworks, and blasting. The company stated that it complied with the order immediately. Authorities now require Tuike Finland to submit a comprehensive water management plan by next week. This document must outline planned structures, timelines, and independent water monitoring protocols. It specifically needs to account for risks posed by heavy rain, snowmelt, and acidic black shale present in the local soil. These regulatory actions followed a report by the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, the country's largest environmental organization. The group asserted that the construction measures in Muhos were illegal due to the extensive clearing of forest. For the second site near the city of Kajaani, the association noted uncertainty regarding whether legal limits for affected areas had been exceeded. A resident cited in recent reporting claimed that wolves displaced by the construction activity have begun visiting nearby villages. Finnish authorities are currently reviewing applications for 145 new data centres at various planning stages. This includes Google's artificial intelligence infrastructure project, valued at 13 billion euros, which the company describes as its largest investment in Europe. Google intends to invest at least 13 billion euros in digital infrastructure in Finland over the next two years. The country's low temperatures, stable electrical grid, and sparse population make it particularly attractive for facilities requiring massive amounts of energy and water for server cooling. The dispute mirrors conflicts emerging in the United States, where the boom in artificial intelligence has triggered widespread resistance to new data centre construction. At the Muhos site, authorities allege that Tuike Finland cleared and drained 330 hectares of forest before completing mandatory environmental impact assessments. Campaigners estimate that 250,000 trees were felled at Muhos and another 150,000 at the second site, Otanmäki, located approximately 100 kilometers to the southeast. The supervisory agency instructed the company to halt preparatory measures that alter the environment after the firm failed to finalize assessments prior to clearcutting. Antti Järvinen, Google's country manager for Finland, apologized for the forest clearings. He maintained that the company acted based on its best understanding of the legislation at the time. The Finnish government has supported the initiatives. When the plans were announced in September, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo expressed encouragement for the projects. The conflict highlights the tension between rapid technological expansion and strict environmental regulations in Northern Europe. Construction equipment continues to operate in areas adjacent to major power lines, while trucks shuttle materials to the sites. The police statement emphasized that the investigation will examine the specific circumstances surrounding the drainage and water management shortcomings.