Cherokee Nation bans hyperscale data centers on its lands, won’t support projects without consultation — energy and water consumption, air quality, noise, and cultural resource protection among concerns

The Cherokee Nation has implemented a ban on hyperscale data center development on its tribally owned and trust lands. This decision follows a task force's findings, which revealed that 64% of surveyed citizens opposed such facilities within the tribe's 14-county reservation in northeastern Oklahoma. Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. emphasized the tribe's responsibility to protect its citizens and communities from potential threats, including high energy and water consumption, air quality issues, noise pollution, and impacts on cultural resources.

The tribe further stated that it would not support any hyperscale data center projects on non-tribal land within the reservation without early and proper consultation. This move mirrors actions taken by other tribal entities, with the Seminole Nation and Kickapoo Tribe having passed similar moratoriums. Additionally, Tulsa itself implemented a nine-month pause on new data center approvals in March, reflecting a broader trend of US jurisdictions blocking or freezing new data center builds. The report, however, noted the difficulty in accurately tracking data center numbers in Oklahoma due to a lack of state or federal registration requirements.

Existing hyperscale projects located on non-tribal land within the reservation, such as Google's campus in Pryor and Project Clydesdale near Owasso, remain unaffected by the ban, having received municipal and county approvals. The Cherokee Nation's task force report also highlighted a "disconnect" as 73% of citizens use generative AI tools, recommending public education to clarify how AI use drives demand for hyperscale data centers.