Mukwa opposes the creation of any new Data Centers being placed on Turtle Island.
For countless generations, the Native Peoples of Turtle Island have been the rightful custodians of this land. We stand together and rise against any environmental threats to the land, water, people, and animal relatives to safeguard all that is sacred. To live in right relations with all beings.
Having grown up in the digital era, we recognize that this technology has existed since the dawn of the modern internet. From LAN servers connecting local networks to Internet Server Buildings, cryptocurrency farms, and now these second-generation AI and “hyperscaled” data centers competing for the finest semiconductors and processors, all made from minerals taken from Mother Earth. Minerals sourced from stolen Indigenous territories both here and in the Global South, often extracted through slave labor in artisan mines.
By learning from Indigenous knowledge and science, we can progress. Our Indigenous history reveals much better ways of governing, health care, agriculture, and scientific practices. Our scientific approaches are intertwined with our spirituality, leading to hundreds of thousands of years of successful and thriving communities and advancements in technology. If modern technology is developed in the right relation with all beings around it, it can provide our current society with hundreds of thousands of years of incredible and prosperous growth.
Data centers, essential for our digital world, pose significant risks to clean water sources. These facilities consume vast amounts of water for cooling systems, which can lead to depletion of local water supplies. Additionally, the chemicals used in their operations can contaminate nearby water bodies if not managed properly. As the demand for data storage and processing continues to grow, the environmental impact on water resources becomes increasingly concerning, highlighting the need for sustainable practices in the tech industry.
The unchecked AI industry, powered by these shiny new data centers, is practically giving our oppressors a master toolkit for wreaking havoc. We're talking about AI being weaponized for mass surveillance, creating loopholes in legal and tax systems, and snatching away countless low-level jobs, among other things. It's a recipe for disaster, and the consequences erode all of our sovereignty.
Data centers pose significant challenges to residential electricity usage, impacting both power consumption and pricing. As these facilities require vast amounts of energy to operate and cool their servers, they can strain local power grids. This increased demand may lead to higher electricity costs for households and prioritize energy distribution in ways that disadvantage residential users. Consequently, the growing presence of data centers raises concerns about their influence on energy availability and affordability for everyday consumers.
We have the technological and scientific knowledge to create these data centers that would coexist alongside our communities and all beings. These tech billionaires who come into our beautiful communities and territories, don’t use their billions to create business infrastructures that won’t harm us, but to commodify this current technology in a manner that harms not just the environment but the roots of our communities.
Join us June 26th for a rally in front of the Minnesota Capitol, where we will be presenting the Mother Earth Vs Big Tech Petition. This petition advocates for a two-year moratorium on the construction of hyperscaled data centers. Our goal is to deliver this important message directly to the office of the Governor of Minnesota.
Agenda:
12PM Set-up
1PM Opening Gina Peltier, Mukwa
1:15PM Mark Tilsen, Indigenous Environmental Network
1:25PM Elijah Small, Brave Heart Society
1:35PM Leanna Goose, Rise & Repair
1:45PM Cathy Johnson,COALITION FOR RESPONSIBLE DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT
1:55PM Aubree Derksen, Stop the Pine Island Data Center
2:05PM Joseph White Eyes, Honor The Earth
2:15PM Twin Cities Innovation Alliance
2:25PM Minnesota Anti-War Committee
2:35PM Closing and handoff of petition, E. Joey Oppegaard-Peltier, Mukwa
Links:
Petition Link:
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/mndatacentermoratorium
Action Network Event Link:
https://actionnetwork.org/events/mnnodatacenterpetitionevent
Facebook Link:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1637342144168787
Sponsor and Tabling Link:
https://actionnetwork.org/ticketed_events/mnnodatacentertabling
Who:
Mukwa, RISE Coalition, Indigenous Environmental Network, Brave Heart Society, Rise & Repair, COALITION FOR RESPONSIBLE DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT, Stop the Pine Island Data Center, Honor The Earth, Indigenous Protector Movement, Twin Cities Innovation Alliance, NDN Collective, Minnesota Anti-War Committee
What:
Governor Walz Enact a Two-Year Moratorium on Data Centers Now!
With more than 20 active hyperscale data center proposals in Minnesota, the “Data Center Bill” passed in the 2025 special session falls short of creating a comprehensive regulatory framework to adequately address the impact of these projects. The 2026 legislative session ended last month leaving our state open and vulnerable against big tech billionaires and their hyperscale data centers projects.
“Minnesota says' GAAWIIN! ‘NO’ to Big Tech!”
We will gather for this educational and advocacy rally on Friday, June 26th 2026 from 1PM to 2:30PM, at the Minnesota State Capitol in the front lawn. This event will have speakers from multiple Indigenous and Minnesotan community led groups organizing against AI and Hyper Scale Data Centers. It is important for a mass turnout to show that we truly mean NO! to these harmful Hyperscale Data Centers destroying our waters and raising the energy costs of Minnesotan.
Protect Our Water!
The proposed data centers in Minnesota have raised serious concerns about the state's water and energy resources. If all ten facilities operate, their energy use could match that of the entire state, potentially delaying the retirement of coal plants and undermining climate goals. Additionally, these centers consume vast amounts of water; for instance, the Farmington center is projected to use 900 million gallons, nearly double the city's total usage. The frequent equipment upgrades may also increase the demand for mining metals for tech manufacturing. Moreover, there is a significant lack of community involvement in the decision-making process, with agreements potentially bypassing environmental laws and limiting residents' rights to influence local environmental issues.
Indigenous Intellectual Property, Indigenous Spirituality Media Protocols and Free, Prior, Inform and Consent (FPIC)
AI technology struggles with Indigenous languages, which are tied to cultural identity. Granting tech companies access to tribal knowledge risks misrepresentation and cultural appropriation, making it essential for Indigenous peoples to control their histories and languages to prevent exploitation. While some suggest AI data centers could enhance Indigenous data sovereignty, many tribal nations lack the capacity to regulate multinational corporations, potentially undermining their power. Adhering to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) is vital for developers and corporations, emphasizing the need for Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) to ensure Indigenous voices are included in decisions affecting them.
Mining on Indigenous Lands
The mining of metals and minerals for clean energy and data centers predominantly takes place on Indigenous lands, leading to considerable environmental and social repercussions for these communities. They frequently face contamination issues and are marginalized in decision-making processes and financial gains, with more than 70% of identified uranium deposits located on their territories. In reaction, the Indigenous Just Transition promotes a shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative one, highlighting local sovereignty, Indigenous governance systems and traditional ecological knowledge. Nations such as Canada and China are vying to advance biomaterial technology by combining Indigenous science with contemporary innovations, striving for a more sustainable and equitable future.
Mass Surveillance, ICE, Military Industrial Complex
The U.S. Military, initially formed to suppress Indigenous resistance, now operates globally with a budget of about $1 trillion, supporting imperialism through resource extraction in regions like the Congo, Palestine, Sudan, and Venezuela. This relationship between Big Tech and data centers is linked to the military-industrial complex, using "national security" to justify ongoing conflicts over resources. Additionally, the militarization of U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) has led to the use of AI for surveillance, with ICE's budget exceeding that of all other U.S. law enforcement agencies combined, reflecting increased funding for militarized operations.
Petition for Two Year Moratorium of Hyperscale Data Centers
We demand lawmakers take immediate action to impose a moratorium on the approval, permitting, and construction of hyperscale data centers across the state until a comprehensive, enforceable regulatory framework is established to safeguard water resources, energy systems, environmental integrity, and the health and welfare of affected communities. After the Friday, June 26th 2026 event, we will submit a petition demanding for a two year statewide moratorium on hyperscale data centers in Minnesota.
Mukwa Legislative Advocacy
Hyperscaled Data Centers
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Require Free, Prior & Informed Consent from Tribal Governments
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Protecting the intellectual property ownership rights of Tribal Cultural knowledge and safe guards of this data stored in Data Center.
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Require an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
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Siting, Setbacks from Residential Neighborhoods, Noise Pollution
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SF 4203 | HF TBD
Repeal Tax Exemptions for New Hyperscale Data Centers