In Utah, growing pushback over a city-sized data center
The Stratos Project, a large data center backed by investor Kevin O’Leary, is facing significant opposition in Box Elder County, Utah, due to its size and potential environmental impacts near the Great Salt Lake. Despite fast-tracked approval, public and scientific pushback has led to a proposed 50% reduction in the project's footprint and an executive order from Gov. Spencer Cox requiring careful environmental consideration for data centers.
The Stratos Project, a proposed city-sized data center in Box Elder County, Utah, has sparked intense debate and opposition due to its massive scale and potential environmental impact. Backed by investor Kevin O’Leary, the project was initially planned to span 40,000 acres and consume 9 gigawatts of electricity, exceeding Utah's annual usage. Local residents and scientists, including Robert Davies, a physics professor at Utah State University, raised significant concerns about its impact on the Great Salt Lake Basin, already grappling with a megadrought, and the potential for increased local temperatures.
The project's approval process, fast-tracked by Utah’s Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) and the Box Elder County Commission, drew criticism for lacking public input. This growing opposition prompted a shift in stance from Republican state officials. Gov. Spencer Cox issued an executive order mandating "careful consideration" of data centers' environmental impacts, and Utah Senate President Stuart Adams, who chairs MIDA, called for a 75% reduction in the Stratos Project's acreage.
Initially resistant, Mr. O’Leary announced a 50% reduction, cutting 20,000 acres from the plan, though he did not commit to reducing energy consumption. Scientists dismissed this reduction as "performative," arguing it does not address core environmental concerns. Mr. O'Leary has attributed alarm to "incorrect assumptions" and even claimed opposition groups were backed by the Chinese Communist Party, while also acknowledging the political pressure influencing figures like Mr. Adams.