Honor The Earth Applauds Oklahoma City For Banning Data Center Development Until the End of the Year

The Oklahoma City Council unanimously approved a temporary moratorium on new data center development within city limits, effective until December 31, 2026. The ban specifically halts the acceptance and processing of new applications for rezoning requests and permits, including building permits, related to data center construction or expansion. Mayor David Holt initiated discussions with council members and the city manager to explore next steps, which may include differentiating between smaller, localized data centers and larger, resource-intensive hyperscale facilities. Further deliberations are anticipated in the coming weeks. Indigenous-led climate justice group Honor the Earth applauded the decision, viewing it as a significant triumph in the national movement against hyperscale tech projects. This action mirrors a recent unanimous vote in Tulsa, where city leaders also paused data center construction. Advocates, including Ash Leitka, Director of Honor the Earth's Department of Sovereignty and Self Determination, emphasized the growing community resistance across various U.S. regions against tech companies expanding AI infrastructure, citing concerns over water, land, privacy, and economic stability. Organizers from Honor the Earth, including Taylor Sanchez, highlighted the lack of industrial regulation in Oklahoma and stressed that municipal moratoriums serve as crucial tools for communities to slow down or halt extractive development. Sanchez also pointed out the issue of non-disclosure agreements being used by data center developers, which limit transparency with communities. The council plans to reconvene to consider amendments, potentially including exceptions to the moratorium or updates to the city’s zoning code to establish a specific data center category, which could lead to an earlier lifting of the ban.