The Finnish Licensing and Supervision Authority has issued a partial stop-work order to Google subsidiary Tuike Finland, suspending environmentally significant site preparation at two data centre locations in Muhos and Kajaani.
The regulatory intervention follows public outcry over the clearing of an estimated 250,000 trees across nearly 330 hectares (815 acres) of woodland near Muhos in northern Finland, where land clearing began prior to the completion of formal Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs).
Tommi Muilu, Head of the Environmental Department at the Finnish Licensing and Supervision Authority, stated that extensive pre-construction activities—including soil stripping, tree removal, haul road construction, and stormwater system alterations—change the local ecosystem and must be evaluated within the statutory EIA process.
The regulatory order halts major groundworks while permitting non-disruptive activities such as site surveying, soil sampling, and technical planning to continue. Authorities noted that failure to comply could trigger formal administrative enforcement proceedings under national environmental protection laws.
Key context surrounding the dispute includes:
- Investment scale: The affected sites form part of Google’s €13 billion artificial intelligence infrastructure expansion in Finland, which includes planned developments in Muhos, Kajaani, and Vaala alongside an operational data centre facility in Hamina.
- Land acquisitions: Google acquired 1,400 hectares across Kajaani and Muhos from state forestry manager Metsähallitus in 2024, followed by an additional 900-hectare purchase in Vaala in early 2026.
- Corporate defence: Google Communications Manager Michiel Sallaets denied any unlawful activity, stating that timber harvesting on company-owned land complied fully with the Finnish Forestry Act and that net proceeds from selective logging would be directed to local community initiatives.
- Sustainability commitments: The dispute highlights growing operational friction for hyperscale technology companies balancing rapid data centre expansion with global corporate sustainability commitments and carbon offset programmes.
The regulator has not indicated how long the environmental review will take or what impact the suspension may have on Google’s construction timelines.
