The Cherokee Nation has implemented a ban on hyperscale data center development on tribally owned and trust lands.
The tribe’s ruling follows the release of the Principal Chief’s Data Center Task Force Report, which analyzed the economic and environmental impacts of hyperscale data centers across the 14-county reservation in northeastern Oklahoma. In a statement, the tribe identified “significant concerns regarding energy and water consumption, air quality, infrastructure, and cultural resources.”
Based on the report, the Cherokee Nation stated it would also prohibit hyperscale data center development on non-tribally owned lands within the Cherokee Nation Reservation unless there was “robust consultation” with tribal leaders.
Furthermore, the report polled 1,593 Cherokee Nation residents and found nearly two-thirds (64%) were opposed to the construction of the facilities on tribal land.
“It’s clear that our Cherokee Nation Administration, Council, and citizens have serious concerns about the construction of hyperscale data centers on our tribal lands, which affect our resources and cultural lifeways,” said Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “Our primary responsibility is to protect our citizens and tribal communities from these threats, so we will not support any hyperscale data centers on our reservation without proper consultation. We want these companies to know that we expect them to engage with us early and transparently, as these projects impact every Cherokee.”
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