Winnebago Tribe drafting policy to keep data centers off tribal land
Winnebago Tribal Councilwomen Keely Purscell and Emmy Scott are developing tribal laws and policies to prevent hyperscale data centers from being built on Winnebago land near the Missouri River. No company has yet approached the tribe, but leaders are concerned about potential impacts on water, wildlife, land, air and cultural resources.
Winnebago Tribal Councilwomen Keely Purscell and Emmy Scott are spearheading efforts to establish tribal laws, policies and codes that would prevent or tightly regulate hyperscale data centers on Winnebago land along the Missouri River. They said no developer has approached the tribe yet, but they want safeguards in place before that occurs.
The councilwomen emphasized that protecting water, wildlife, air, livestock and cultural resources is more important than potential investment or job creation. Purscell said she could not justify dedicating tribal land or resources to a hyperscale facility unless it caused zero harm, while Scott pointed to the sacred role of water in Winnebago culture. The discussion also referenced the Cherokee Nation's ban on hyperscale data centers on tribal and trust land and similar restrictions or studies by other tribes.