Utah residents protest $100B facility over power use

Box Elder County commissioners approved the Stratos project on May 4 after a contentious public meeting in Tremonton, setting off protests, a referendum drive and new scrutiny of how Utah would supply water and power to one of the largest proposed AI-linked data center campuses in the country. The project is backed by the Utah Military Installation Development Authority, investor Kevin O’Leary and developer partners planning a 40,000-acre campus in Hansel Valley. At full buildout, the project has been described by supporters and critics as a 9-gigawatt complex that could cost as much as $100 billion. Opponents say that scale would overwhelm local resources, while state officials say the project still faces multiple environmental reviews. ### What exactly did Box Elder County approve? Box Elder County commissioners voted unanimously on May 4 to let the Military Installation Development Authority, or MIDA, create the Stratos project area on mostly private, unincorporated land in western Box Elder County. County officials said the vote concerned land-use consent for the project area and did not settle air-quality or water-rights questions. The Stratos proposal centers on about 40,000 acres in Hansel Valley and is backed by O’Leary Digital and energy developer West GenCo, according to local reporting and project descriptions reviewed by Utah outlets. State boosters have said the project could create 2,000 jobs and help support military and national-security computing needs. ### Why are residents focused on electricity use? (sltrib.com) The most disputed number is 9 gigawatts. The Salt Lake Tribune reported before the county vote that the first phase alone was expected to require about 3 gigawatts of power, close to Utah’s average statewide electricity use of roughly 4 gigawatts, and that the full campus would use more than twice as much power as the state currently uses. (sltrib.com) Kevin O’Leary and project supporters have argued the campus would generate its own electricity on site rather than draw that load directly from Utah’s existing grid. Project materials and public statements cited by local outlets say the site would initially rely on natural gas, with the Ruby Pipeline crossing the project area. Gov. Spencer Cox said on May 21 that the first phase would use natural gas but that later phases should not rely solely on it. (sltrib.com) ### What happened at the protests? Hundreds of opponents turned out for the May 4 county meeting in Tremonton after an earlier delay in the vote, according to The Salt Lake Tribune and Utah Public Radio. Protesters booed commissioners, carried “No Data Center” signs and shouted slogans including “People over profits!” as officials discussed anticipated tax revenue and the approval resolution. (thestratosproject.com) A separate protest was held at the Utah Capitol on May 14, and state officials later pointed to that demonstration as evidence that concern had spread well beyond Box Elder County. Tim Davis, a commissioner with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, told The Salt Lake Tribune that residents “do” have a voice and that the public process “hasn’t even begun yet.” (sltrib.com) ### Are water and air permits still ahead? Utah regulators still must review air-quality, water-quality and drinking-water matters tied to the project, according to Utah Public Radio and The Salt Lake Tribune. The Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s air-permitting site showed no draft Stratos permit notices as of the latest crawl available through the web tool, meaning no public hearing had yet been scheduled through that process. (sltrib.com) Water fights are already underway. A now-withdrawn water-right application tied to the project drew nearly 4,000 protests, and a new application began its protest period last week, with around 30 protest letters already received, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. State officials told the paper that more applications are likely. ### What are opponents trying next? (upr.org) Box Elder County voters filed referendum paperwork in May to try to put the county approval on the November ballot, CNN and Utah television outlets reported. County Clerk Marla Young told CNN the application was under legal review, and organizers would need more than 5,000 signatures to qualify the measure. (sltrib.com) The next formal steps now run on two tracks. Utah agencies must decide whether to issue water and air permits, and referendum organizers must gather enough signatures for a November vote while MIDA and the project’s developers continue planning later phases. (sltrib.com) (gulfcoastnewsnow.com)