Sault Tribe directors vote in indefinite pause on data center development
The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Board of Directors unanimously approved an indefinite moratorium on data center development on April 7. This decision immediately blocks any artificial intelligence data centers from being built or operated on tribal lands, citing the need to protect the land. Future boards would require sweeping environmental and infrastructure studies, along with heavy community input, to lift the ban.
The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Board of Directors has unanimously approved an indefinite moratorium on data center development on its tribal lands. The decision, made on April 7, immediately blocks the construction and operation of any artificial intelligence data centers, with tribal leaders emphasizing the need to protect their land.
Bridget Sorenson, a community member, expressed support for the ban, suggesting it should extend across the entire state of Michigan, drawing parallels to past concerns over Bitcoin mining. Tribe chair Austin Lols and director Kimberly Hampton, co-sponsors of the moratorium, clarified that the ban targets large-scale data centers, which they described as "superhuman brains running virtually digitally," rather than everyday AI usage like ChatGPT.
The board also dispelled rumors that 10 to 12 data centers were already planned, stating that no proposals had ever been on the table, partly due to a lack of suitable land. To ever lift the indefinite ban, any future board would be mandated to conduct extensive environmental and infrastructure studies, in addition to securing significant community input.