Finnish police have opened a criminal investigation into environmental concerns surrounding preparatory work at a planned Google data center in Muhos, northern Finland, with authorities expecting the case to continue into 2027.

The Oulu Police Department announced Thursday that it was investigating Finnish company Tuike Finland Oy, which represents Google in the project. The case is being examined as possible environmental degradation, although police said additional criminal classifications could be added as investigators gather more information.

The investigation follows a request from the Finnish Supervisory Agency, known as LVV, after concerns emerged about drainage and water management at the construction site. Police said preliminary information pointed to ambiguities and deficiencies in how those issues were handled.

Authorities described the investigation as lengthy and said it would likely be completed in 2027. Police expect to provide another update in December.

The case adds to growing controversy over Google's plans to significantly expand its data center infrastructure in Finland. In September, the company announced a 13-billion-euro investment, equivalent to approximately $15 billion, covering digital infrastructure at four Finnish sites over the next two years.

The projects are intended to support Google's expanding computing needs, including its ambitions in artificial intelligence. However, preparations have drawn criticism from residents and environmental officials concerned about the impact of large-scale construction and forest clearing.

In early October, the LVV ordered work at Google's planned data center sites in Muhos and Kajaani temporarily halted until required environmental impact assessments had been completed.

By that point, approximately 330 hectares of forest had reportedly been cleared in Muhos, while nearly 200 hectares had been cleared in Kajaani. The scale of the clearances prompted public criticism and questions about the environmental consequences of the projects.

Google Finland country manager Antti Järvinen apologized for the forest clearing in comments to local media, while maintaining that the company believed the clear-cutting had complied with Finnish law.

The controversy also extends to an earlier project in Hamina. Finnish broadcaster Yle reported that Tuike had cut trees during expansion work connected to Google's data center operations there in 2018 and 2019 without obtaining the necessary permits.

The criminal investigation in Muhos will determine whether the alleged deficiencies in drainage and water management violated environmental laws. Police have not announced any findings of criminal wrongdoing, and the investigation remains ongoing.