Native American Tribe Bans Construction of Hyperscale Data Centres

One of the largest Native American tribes in the US has issued a ban on hyperscale data centres on its tribal lands. 

The Oklahoma-based Cherokee Nation made the announcement last week following a months-long consultation that found 64% of survey respondents oppose the construction of data centres.

“It’s clear that our Cherokee Nation Administration, Council, and citizens have serious concerns about the construction of hyperscale data centers on our tribal lands, which affect our resources and cultural lifeways,” Cherokee principal chief Chuck Hoskin Jr wrote in a statement.

“Our primary responsibility is to protect our citizens and tribal communities from these threats, so we will not support any hyperscale data centers on our reservation without proper consultation.”

The reservation in northeastern Oklahoma covers around 7,000 square miles, but only a small proportion of that is designated as tribally owned land.

A report based on the consultation noted that tribal leaders had less influence over development on land on the rest of the reservation – but said the Cherokee Nation would oppose any new data centre that did not have a “robust” consultation process addressing concerns such as natural resource use.

There are at least two data centres under development on the reservation, according to local public radio station KOSU. In March, the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma banned data centres on its land, while the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma has also declared its opposition to data centres. 

Big Tech firms have been eyeing Native American lands in the hope of winning quick approvals for data centres, because tribes have sovereign authority to issue permits. This has led to tension between those who see an opportunity for economic development and those who fear the projects will lead to further exploitation by outsiders. 

Larry Wright Jr, executive director of the National Congress of American Indians, a prominent advocacy group, wrote in a letter to the White House last year that “vast, strategically located” tribal lands “are the ideal place to build the infrastructure that will power America’s AI dominance”. 

The group’s stance has proved controversial. Protesters interrupted an AI panel at the National Congress’s annual conference in November, chanting, “You can’t drink data,” and “The biggest lie is AI”. 

In the first half of 2026, grassroots groups across the US blocked 75 data centre projects worth $130bn, according to Data Center Watch.