Fort Peck Tribes Ban Talks With Data Center Developers In Montana

The Fort Peck Tribal Executive Board has banned tribal governments from discussing data center projects with developers. The board, representing the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes, cited concerns over the potential environmental impact of data centers. Chairman Floyd Azure said three developers had approached tribal governments about projects on the Fort Peck Reservation over the past year.

"We asked them questions," he told the Montana Free Pass. "One of the main questions is what is this going to bring to the tribes and how will the tribes benefit. And they didn't have an answer. So, what we took from that is, all they want to do is utilize our resources. And I thought, 'No. There's no way we're going to give that up. We do not want them here.'"

Tribal board member Roxanne Gourneau cited the reservation’s history of water contamination, saying officials could not risk its water and environment. Chairman Floyd Azure said data centers could threaten the reservation’s natural resources. The 2-million-acre Fort Peck Reservation includes farmland and Fort Peck Lake, which has around 1,500 miles of shoreline.

"We've got enough problems here from previous companies coming on and destroying our land, and we basically get stuck holding the bag," Azure said. "One thing we are taking care of is our natural resources."