According to The Guardian on October 22, Google cleared approximately 330 hectares (3.3 million square meters) of forest in Muhos, northern Finland, to build a data center, estimated to have cut down about 250,000 trees, and conducted large-scale land clearing—including removal of topsoil—before completing the required environmental impact assessment.
Reports state that local residents and environmental groups have criticized the site, which now consists only of muddy empty land, tire tracks, and piles of tree roots; muddy water may flow into streams that eventually feed into the Oulujoki River, raising concerns about water quality and ecological impact.
Earlier this month, Finland’s Licensing and Supervision Authority (LVV) requested Google to halt construction at two sites—in Muonio and Otanmäki, approximately 100 kilometers away—and to cease activities significantly altering the environment by October 23. Reports indicate that failure to comply could prompt the regulator to initiate enforcement proceedings and impose fines.
Environmentalists estimate that, in addition to approximately 250,000 trees in Muonio, another 150,000 trees in Otanmäki were cut down, claiming that Google illegally cut down 400,000 trees in Finland. The report also states that, due to being classified as illegal logging, the timber cannot be sold to wood processing companies.
The head of Google Finland has apologized for the cleanup incident.