Oliver County Approves Billion-Dollar Applied Digital Data Center

The Oliver County Commission voted 2-1 to approve a building permit for a billion-dollar data center project in central North Dakota. This decision follows the county's move to end a previous moratorium on data center development.

To secure the permit, Applied Digital agreed to several concessions designed to protect local resources and infrastructure. The company will haul in its own water and wastewater to avoid using the local aquifer and will utilize state highways and private access roads to minimize traffic on county roads. Additionally, the project must adhere to noise limits established by the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality and implement a noxious weed management plan.

The commission further required the company to coordinate its construction schedules with a local church. However, the parties have not yet resolved the establishment of a reclamation bond for potential demolition costs. Applied Digital officials stated that creating such a bond is currently impractical due to constraints in the insurance market.