Cherokee Nation In The US Bans Data Center Development
By Jason Ma of DataCenterDynamics
The Cherokee Nation in the US has banned data center development on its lands, according to an announcement made by its Chief Chuck Hoskin on August 5, Thursday.
“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. 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,” Chief Hoskin said.
“We want these companies to know that we expect them to engage with us early and transparently, as these projects impact every Cherokee.”
On the same day, the Cherokee Nation also released a report on data centers, which found that 64 percent of the 1,593 Cherokee Nation citizens surveyed did support hyperscale data center construction within the Reservation, a 7,000 sqm (75,347 sq ft) area in northeastern Oklahoma where the nation has legislative, executive, and judicial powers. Only 14 percent supported their development, and 22 percent remained unsure.
The report states that two data center projects – Project Clydesdale, a $1 billion campus in Tulsa County, and Project Mustang, potentially located in the Claremore Industrial Park – are currently under development within the Cherokee Nation Reservation.
But the report also emphasized that the nation had an interest in “continued reliable, secure, cost-effective access to colocation and cloud services for government and business operations, disaster recovery, and sovereign systems including tribal registration and vehicle tag administration.”
In August, a broadband data center was built in the Hoopa Valley Reservation, home to the Hoopa Valley Tribe in northwest California.
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- • The Cherokee Nation banned hyperscale data center development on tribal and trust lands.
- • A survey showed 64 percent of Cherokee citizens oppose such construction due to resource concerns.
- • The ban targets large projects like Project Clydesdale and Project Mustang to protect water and energy.
Tribal governments are increasingly asserting sovereignty to manage the environmental impact of digital infrastructure. This move follows growing national debates regarding the massive utility demands of AI and cloud computing.
Christian Perspective
The tribe's focus on protecting natural resources like water and air aligns with the biblical principle of stewardship over the earth. Protecting the community's lifeways from intrusive industrial expansion reflects a desire to maintain order and stability.
Implications
This decision highlights the tension between rapid technological advancement and the preservation of local community integrity. It reinforces the idea that local authorities should prioritize the well-being of their people over globalist digital interests.
Broader Trends
We see a growing movement of localism where specific groups seek to insulate their heritage and resources from external exploitation. This mirrors the broader American struggle to maintain control over land and identity against centralized or globalized forces.
Takeaway
Americans should support the right of established communities to defend their resources and traditional way of life. Prioritize local sovereignty and the protection of the nation's physical assets over the unchecked expansion of digital infrastructure.
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