FORT HALL — The Fort Hall Business Council of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes has passed a formal resolution opposing data center development on the Fort Hall Reservation, citing concerns over water and energy resources, treaty rights and tribal sovereignty.

The resolution, passed during a Business Council meeting last week, came in response to a proposed large-scale data center near the former Hoku site in Pocatello. Though Pocatello authorities ultimately denied the proposal following a packed public hearing, the Business Council determined a formal statement was necessary to protect long-term tribal interests.

“No development affecting tribal communities, lands, resources or treaty rights should proceed without early, meaningful and ongoing government-to-government consultation with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and full recognition of tribal sovereignty,” the Council said in a statement accompanying the resolution.

The resolution extends beyond the reservation itself, encompassing ceded lands, Treaty-protected areas and any locations where such development could adversely affect the reservation or its residents.

At the center of the Council’s concerns is the strain large-scale data centers place on regional water and energy supplies. The statement drew a sharp distinction between water as an economic resource and water as a necessity of life.

“Water is not merely a commodity. Water is life,” the Council said in the statement. “Its protection is fundamental to the health of our communities, ecosystems and future generations.”

The Council also flagged energy demand as a concern, noting that Idaho is a net importer of electricity. Increased consumption driven by data center development, the statement said, could strain regional grid capacity and drive up utility costs for residents as energy providers source additional power on the open market.

The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes have long held a stewardship responsibility over the lands and waters within and beyond the reservation, the Council said, including areas where tribal members continue to exercise treaty rights, practice cultural traditions and maintain spiritual connections to the land.

The Council said it supports responsible economic development, but drew a firm line at projects that come at the expense of natural resources or culturally significant places.

“Economic interests must never come at the expense of the lands and waters that sustain our people and way of life,” the statement read.

The Fort Hall Business Council said it will continue to advocate for accountable decision-making and consult on any regional development that could affect tribal lands, resources or treaty rights.