Seminole Nation of Oklahoma Passes Moratorium on Data Centers

In a landmark unanimous vote on March 7, the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma's Tribal Council approved a resolution enacting a complete moratorium on generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology and hyperscale data center development within its jurisdiction. The resolution, passed 24-0, explicitly bars all inquiries, discussions, and developments related to data centers of any size within the Seminole Nation's lands. The initiative was led by Mekusukey Band Representative Glen Chebon Kernell, who introduced the resolution after a start-up corporation approached the Tribal Council with a proposal to develop a data center, requesting an NDA and a letter of intention. Kernell and other tribal members voiced strong environmental concerns at an emergency town hall, emphasizing the potential harm to water sources, land, and community health. Seminole Nation General Council Representative Monique Carpitcher echoed these sentiments, stating the vote meant protecting present and future community health and the nation's ethical character. The Seminole Nation partnered with Honor the Earth, an Indigenous-led climate justice nonprofit, which provided resources highlighting the harms of hyperscale data centers. Krystal Two Bulls, executive director of Honor the Earth, commended the Seminole Nation's leadership and expressed hope that other tribal leaders would follow suit as part of a collective Indigenous-led movement against extractive developments.