New Box Elder data center protest slated for May 23 on State Capitol steps in Salt Lake City
Opponents of the proposed Stratos Data Center in Box Elder County, Utah, are holding another protest at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City. They are also pursuing a ballot referendum to oppose the project, citing environmental concerns like noise, heat, carbon footprint, and potential impact on the Great Salt Lake.
Opponents of the proposed Stratos Data Center in Box Elder County, Utah, are planning a public protest on May 23 at the Utah State Capitol steps in Salt Lake City. This rally follows a previous protest on May 14, which drew an estimated 400 attendees who chanted "no data center" and called for state officials, including the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA), to withdraw their support for the Stratos Project.
The protesters express significant environmental concerns, including the noise and heat generated by the proposed nine-gigawatt facility, its carbon footprint, and the potential harm to the already imperiled Great Salt Lake. Organizers for the May 23 event are urging peaceful participation and explicitly banning weapons.
Simultaneously, the Box Elder Accountability Referendum group (B.E.A.R.) is leading an effort to gather nearly 5,500 voter signatures. Their goal is to place a referendum on the data center project on the ballot for November.
Numerous advocacy groups are sponsoring the Salt Lake City rally, including We The People Cache Valley, various Indivisible groups, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Utah State Progressive Caucus, the Party for Socialism & Liberation, the Utah Chapter of the Sierra Club, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, and the Utah Outdoor Association. Additional groups opposing the data center include Elevate Strategies, the Alliance for a Better Utah, Grow the Flow, the Great Salt Lake Audubon Society, and the Utah Democratic Party.