HELSINKI: Finnish police said on Oct 29 it had launched a criminal investigation related to the environmental impact of preparatory work conducted at the site of one of tech giant Google's planned data centre sites.
In September, Google announced a €13bil (US$15bil or RM60.72bil) investment in digital infrastructure at four sites in Finland over the next two years to power its AI ambitions.
The Oulu Police Department said in a statement that it had decided to launch an investigation into Finnish company Tuike, which is representing Google, over work conducted in Muhos in northern Finland.
The case was investigated as "environmental degradation," police said, adding that additional criminal classifications would possibly be specified later in the investigation.
Based on preliminary information, there had been "ambiguities and deficiencies in drainage and water management at the construction site of Tuike Finland Oy's data centre project," it said.
Police opened the probe after it received a request from the Finnish Supervisory Agency (LVV).
The investigation was expected to be "lengthy" and completed in 2027, police said, adding that an update would likely be provided in December.
Google's plans for massive data centre sites have been mired in controversy, and sparked criticism from citizens concerned about their impact.
In early October, LVV ordered work at Google's data centre sites in Muhos and Kajaani temporarily halted until mandatory environmental impact assessments had been completed.
Tuike had already cleared about 330 hectares of forest in Muhos and nearly 200 hectares in Kajaani.
Google's Finland country manager Antti Jarvinen has apologised for the forest clearances at data centre sites in local media and said the company believed its clear-cuts complied with the law.
According to Finnish broadcaster Yle, Tuike had also cut trees in connection with expansion works of Google's data centre project in the city of Hamina during the years 2018-2019 without the necessary permits. – AFP
