Underwater AI data centre proposal concerns Peskotomuhkati leaders in Canada, U.S.

Aaron Dana, a tribal representative to the Maine Legislature, said he is worried environmental impacts of the proposed data centre in Eastport, Maine, could extend into surrounding waters.

He said the fundamental concern for Peskotomuhkati leadership is the waterways that sustained their people for generations.

A lot of people rely on these resources, said Dana, who is from Passamaquoddy Indian Township Reservation in Maine.

A lot of people across the world eat the food that comes from these resources.

The proposed data centre would use tidal turbines to generate electricity for underwater AI computing and cooling equipment. Deepgreen Western Passage's proposal envisions up to 50 tidal turbines generating 15 megawatts of power, with up to 34 underwater AI server pods.

The equipment would occupy roughly 11 hectares of a 161.8 hectare study area of water in the western passage of Passamaquoddy Bay, two kilometres from New Brunswick's Deer Island, and 17 kilometres from coastal fishing town Saint Andrews.

Dana said the international boundary makes the proposed project particularly complicated. 

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In some places New Brunswick is only a kilometre from Eastport, with the two sides separated only by the waters of the bay. He said potential impacts would not stop at the border. 

It's such a vital area when it comes to the ecosystem all around this part of New Brunswick and Maine, said Dana. 

Dana fears the project could accelerate damage in the bay he's already seeing, and attributes to climate change. 

This isn't anything new that I [haven't] already had to face within my life, Dana said.

It's just a new avenue and a different type of technology that they're trying to advance.

Traditional territory on both sides of the border 

Dana said Peskotomuhkati territory predates the Canada-U.S. boundary. Today there are two communities in Maine (Indian Township and Sipayik) and an estimated 350 Peskotomuhkati people in New Brunswick.

Dana said Hugh Akagi, chief of the Peskotomuhkati Nation at Skutik in New Brunswick (new window), reached out to leadership in Maine about working together to protect their shared territory.

Akagi studied the region's fisheries for decades working with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. 

He said the word Peskotomuhkati is said to mean people who spear pollock and those of the place where pollock is plentiful, and the health of the St. Croix River and Passamaquoddy Bay is inseparable from their identity.

The river defines who we are, he said.

If it's going to define who we are, we'd like to see it healthy.

For him, healthy means abundance. He said in his lifetime he's seen pollock disappear from the bay. 

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He said Peskotomuhkati communities are situated between two proposed AI data centres: the project in Eastport and another in Saint John. (new window)

Akagi turned 80 this year and said now he's seen numbers of other fish and wildlife central to the Peskotomuhkati dwindle. 

Why would I want you to add another level of impact to what's left? said Akagi.

Who has jurisdiction?

In Eastport, some of the concerns raised by Peskotomuhkati leaders are echoed by residents and city officials. 

Eastport city council voted against the proposed data centre in August and over 100 residents attended a public hearing to voice concerns and discuss potential ways to oppose the project.

Brian Schuth, Eastport's city manager, said no one at the hearing spoke in favour of the proposal.

There are a lot of complicated, unanswered questions that need to be answered, said Schuth.

The city is trying to determine what authority it has over the project because the proposed infrastructure would be offshore and may fall to U.S. federal jurisdiction. 

He said his experience with previous liquid natural gas development in the region taught him opposing major projects becomes increasingly difficult once more money is involved.

At the state level, Maine Gov. Janet Mills vetoed legislation in April to pause new AI data centre development in the state temporarily. 

At the U.S. federal government level, it's not clear what protections or restrictions would apply to the proposed data centre.

Developer says project is still in early stages

In a statement to CBC Indigenous, project developer Louis Wolfson said Deepgreen Western Passage's proposal is for a preliminary permit to allow the company to undertake multi-year environmental and engineering studies. 

Right now, the project is in a quiet, analytical phase focused entirely on fine-tuning our subsea engineering and baseline studies before further community outreach, said Wolfson.

He said he's reached out to Wabanaki leadership in Maine, including the Peskotomuhkati.

He said his company intends to listen to communities, respect tribal boundaries and share environmental data with them.

I know there is strong initial skepticism, but my commitment to respecting tribal sovereignty is non-negotiable, Wolfson's statement said.

Dana said Peskotomuhkati are not in favour of the project and don't intend on changing their stance.

What they're doing is that they're only checking a box, saying that they consulted with the tribal nations here in the state of Maine, he said.