Before children across northeast Oklahoma walk through the school doors on the first day of a new year, Cherokee Nation has already been at work investing in their future — whether that child is Cherokee or not.

I am concerned about the potential impact of the proposed aluminum smelter project located in Inola near the Cherokee Nation Reservation.

The Cherokee Nation has completed the Principal Chief’s Data Center Task Force Report, which examines the impacts of hyperscale data centers on the economy, environment, and communities within the Cherokee Nation Reservation.

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner along with other tribal leaders and members of the Tahlequah community gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the state-of-the-art, 75,000 square foot Tahlequah Wellness Center.