Cheyenne and Arapaho Citizens Approve Data Center Moratorium
Citizens of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes approved a three-year moratorium on data center construction on tribal lands. The moratorium, which runs through October 2029, is intended to allow further study of water use, tribal water rights, drought, environmental impacts and economic effects.
Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal citizens voted 261-83 to approve a three-year moratorium on data center construction during the Tribes' annual Tribal Council meeting in Concho, Oklahoma. The measure applies to tribal lands and remains in effect through October 2029.
Supporters cited concerns about data centers' water requirements, tribal water rights, drought conditions, environmental and farmland impacts, and possible effects on buffalo. The moratorium gives tribal leaders and citizens additional time to study proposed projects and consider legislation and protections governing future development.