Utahns protest proposed Box Elder County data center; Critics cite water concerns

Hundreds of Utahns, estimated at over 600, gathered at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City to protest the proposed Stratos Project, a large data center development in Box Elder County. Participants, including Christaline Cornell from American Fork and local residents from Box Elder County like Julie Newland and Carolyn Lenzie, expressed deep concerns about the project's potential impact on Utah's limited water supplies, the Great Salt Lake, and local environmental temperatures. Many criticized politicians, including Gov. Spencer Cox, for fast-tracking the development and ignoring public sentiment.

The Stratos development, backed by Canadian entrepreneur Kevin O'Leary and his company O'Leary Digital, is projected to cover up to 13,000 acres, including 7,500 acres preserved as open space, and will feature a power-generating network capable of 7.5-9 gigawatts. Despite public outcry and a recent poll showing majority opposition among Utah voters, the Box Elder County Commission approved the proposal on May 4. Opponents like Shannon Barton of Box Elder Accountability Referendum (BEAR) are actively fighting the project and working to gather referendum signatures.

Utah State House Minority Leader Angela Romero joined the rally, pledging to continue fighting the project in the legislature. O'Leary has controversially characterized critics as paid "professional protestors" or linked to the Chinese Communist Party, a claim pushed back by O'Leary Digital CEO Paul Palandjian, who instead suggested funding from a "Utah progressive advocacy network" under federal scrutiny. However, many protestors interviewed stated they were Utah residents who drove to the rally on their own expense, with some expressing disappointment in Gov. Cox's handling of the situation and the perceived rush to approve the project without adequate environmental studies.