Residents raise concerns about data centers' environmental impact, long-term resource use

As large-scale data centers continue their expansion across Utah, communities are grappling with understanding these facilities and their potential impact on daily life. While state leaders point to economic growth and technological advancement as benefits, residents and experts are increasingly worried about the environmental footprint and long-term resource demands of these operations. Brandon Amacher, Director of Emerging Tech Policy at Utah Valley University, highlights the public's lack of understanding about how data centers function and the resources they consume, likening their arrival to a "massive black box." This concern is escalating across the state, even though Utah's approximately 50 data centers are far fewer than Virginia's nearly 700. The rapid surge in artificial intelligence is identified as a primary driver for this expansion, with significant investments being made based on projected future AI demand. Residents like Alyssa Henderson and Taylor Mesa express unease not only about the broader implications of AI but also about the physical and environmental impact of data centers. Amacher notes that while data center construction can provide a short-term economic boost, the facilities themselves typically do not create a large number of permanent jobs, though they can contribute to local tax bases and infrastructure. He suggests a need for different evaluation criteria for these projects compared to traditional business investments. Despite state leaders' hopes for economic opportunities in rural Utah through data center growth, experts caution that it could take years before the full spectrum of their impact, both positive and negative, becomes fully clear.