Bill would bar Minnesota cities, counties from secret NDAs with data‑center developers

Activists and local officials are backing a new bipartisan bill at the Minnesota Capitol that would ban local governments and elected officials from signing non‑disclosure agreements with tech firms, a practice now routine in data‑center negotiations like Meta’s planned facility in Rosemount. St. Louis County Commissioner Annie Harala publicly said she regrets signing an NDA on what turned out to be a Google data‑center project in Hermantown, calling it a 'breach of trust' with constituents and urging a statewide ban. Environmental advocates from the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy say the NDAs hide basic facts about proposed projects — who owns them, what’s actually being built, and with what energy and water demands — until deals are effectively locked in. Meta defended confidentiality in a written statement, arguing it speeds project development, while Google declined to comment. For Twin Cities residents, the bill would decide whether city halls and county boards can keep the public in the dark the next time a massive, power‑hungry data center or similar tech project comes courting on the metro’s edge.