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Google's Finland data center clearing draws suspension order
Finland's regulator ordered Google's Finnish subsidiary to suspend preparatory work at Muhos and Kajaani until environmental impact assessments are finished; the plan was a 13 billion euro investment.
On air: Gloria Vance on BBN After HoursPublished
Watch it as it aired: Gloria Vance on this story, from BBN After Hours at 3:20 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are New York Post's, the jokes are ours.
At a glance
- First reported by New York Post: “Google illegally cut down 250K trees in Finland for data center, driving wolves into villages and infuriating locals: report”, with reporting from Fortune and Bytes Europe via X post citing the Guardian.
- Covered on BBN on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 3:20 AM ET on BBN After Hours, by Gloria Vance.
- Topics: Google.
- BBN covered this story before: Courts Force Meta and Google to Change, and Pay Up (October 22).
The real story
The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.
- New York PostGoogle illegally cut down 250K trees in Finland for data center, driving wolves into villages and infuriating locals: report
- FortuneGoogle told to halt work on Finnish data centers after clearing an estimated 250,000 trees before environmental review was done October 23, 2026 · facts used on air
- Bytes Europe via X post citing the GuardianCollin Rugg on X: "JUST IN: Google forced to halt work in Finland after illegally clearing 250,000 trees for a new data center, according to the Guardian. Every facts used on air
What BBN said about it
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorGoogle cleared eight hundred sixteen acres of forest in northern Finland for a data center, and Finland's regulator has now ordered the preparatory work suspended.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorWith us is a source familiar with the matter, speaking anonymously from a parking garage. Sir, where exactly are you?
Desmond Achebe-RothLevel three. I can't say more. But I can tell you, and this is not public, that Google called this plan responsible.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorGoogle said that in September, in a public statement. It called the plan a testament to Finland's leadership in responsibly building AI infrastructure.
Desmond Achebe-RothYes. That's what they want you to think. My source tells me the area is larger than four hundred and fifty football fields. American ones. I've seen the Fortune.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorFortune published that yesterday. Who is your source?
Desmond Achebe-RothA person at Fortune. Well. The website. I read it on my phone. Level three, no signal, so I read it earlier.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorThe regulator ordered Google's Finnish subsidiary to stop the work until environmental assessments are finished, and Google's manager has apologised.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorAre you telling me anything that isn't in print?
Desmond Achebe-RothGloria, I'm risking everything here. Somebody has to say the apology was real. That's why I'm in a garage.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorVerdict: a source with the confidence of an insider and the access of a reader. A two.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorLast question. Who exactly are you protecting by staying anonymous?
Desmond Achebe-RothGoogle's Finland manager. He apologised publicly, so I'd hate for it to get back to him.
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Photo: Microsoft Corporation · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Goombah · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Ka Kit Pang · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: MILLION DOLLAZ WORTH OF GAME · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Thiago Melo from Brasília, Brasil · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Ka Kit Pang · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0
The story so far
- Google says its Minnesota data center will protect ratepayers · CNBC
- Some Google Home Speakers caught downloading hundreds of gigs of data · The Verge
- Google Reports Cloud Disruptions in Europe Region · The New York Times
- Google joins Amazon in attacking Nvidia's hold on AI developers · TechCrunch
- Trump says Google CEO refused to rename the Atlantic Ocean · Hindustan Times
- Courts Force Meta and Google to Change, and Pay Up · The New York Times
- Google's Finland data center clearing draws suspension order (this story)
- Google says it might use Gmail and Photos data for ads · The Verge
From the archive: everything BBN aired on Saturday, October 24, 2026 · the Tech archive · all months
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