The Box Elder County data center could harm Great Salt Lake, experts say
Experts and local organizations are raising environmental concerns about the proposed Stratos Project data center in Hansel Valley, Box Elder County, Utah. They warn that the data center's substantial water and electricity consumption could further deplete the Great Salt Lake and negatively impact regional snowfall. Calls are being made for the project to demonstrate it will not harm the water supply, food supply, or climate.
Utah Public Radio joined a group of reporters on a tour of the proposed Stratos Project data center site in Hansel Valley, Box Elder County, Utah. They were accompanied by representatives from Mineral Resources International, a local business that extracts minerals from the Great Salt Lake, highlighting the significant environmental concerns surrounding the project.
Ronda Anderson-Lauritzen and Val Anderson, executive vice presidents of Mineral Resources International, pointed out that the Great Salt Lake's front has receded as much as four miles from Monument Point over the past 20 years. They expressed worries that the data center's likely increased water usage, even if within existing agricultural allotments, could exacerbate the lake's depletion. Val Anderson also emphasized the lake's critical role in the "lake effect" snowfall, which recharges the region's water supply.
Further concerns were raised regarding the substantial heat output from the data center, which is projected to consume double the electricity of the entire state of Utah. Anderson suggested this heat could cause snow to turn into rain, leading to faster melt-off and potential water management issues. Ben Abbott, executive director of Grow the Flow Utah, an organization focused on preserving the Great Salt Lake, stressed the necessity for the project to undergo due diligence and prove it will not contaminate the water and food supply or disrupt the climate.