Reservations refuse data center developments, but some worry they’re missing out on opportunities
The Fort Peck Tribes and Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council have adopted policies barring data center development over concerns about environmental impacts, resource use and outside exploitation. In Yellowstone County, residents are gathering signatures for a ballot measure that would require two-thirds voter approval for data center projects, including a proposed gas-fired campus with exceptionally high electricity demand.
Montana’s low electricity costs, cool climate and infrastructure are attracting data center developers, but some tribal governments are rejecting the projects to protect sovereignty, land and water. The Fort Peck Tribes and Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council adopted policies in 2026 to keep data centers off their lands, while Indigenous technology and education leaders urged communities to engage thoughtfully with artificial intelligence rather than reject technology altogether.
In Yellowstone County, residents are seeking greater control over a proposed gas-fired data center campus that could consume more electricity than all active residential customers statewide. A proposed ballot measure requiring two-thirds voter approval for county data center construction narrowly missed the November ballot after opposition from the Yellowstone County Commissioners, but volunteers are collecting signatures to place it before voters in the spring.