Peskotomuhkati leaders warn underwater AI data centre could harm cross-border fisheries
Peskotomuhkati representatives on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border say a proposed underwater AI data centre in Eastport, Maine threatens the bay’s fisheries and cultural heritage.
Deepgreen Western Passage has applied for a preliminary permit to install an underwater artificial-intelligence data centre off Eastport, Maine, using tidal turbines to power up to 34 submerged server pods and produce roughly 15 megawatts. The installation would occupy about 11 hectares within a 161.8-hectare study zone in the western passage of Passamaquoddy Bay, only a kilometre from New Brunswick’s Deer Island and 17 kilometres from Saint Andrews.
Peskotomuhkati leaders, including tribal legislator Aaron Dana and New Brunswick chief Hugh Akagi, argue the bay is central to their traditional fisheries, culture and identity, and that the cross-border ecosystem could suffer from the project’s impacts. Eastport’s city council rejected the proposal in August, and city manager Brian Schuth highlighted jurisdictional uncertainties. Maine Governor Janet Mills previously vetoed a pause on AI data-centre development, while federal oversight remains unclear. Developer Louis Wolfson says the project is in an analytical stage, pledging to respect tribal sovereignty, but the tribe maintains that the consultation is merely procedural and remains opposed.
Why it matters
The project could damage vital fisheries and cultural sites that span the US-Canada border, affecting Indigenous livelihoods and regional ecosystems.
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