Utah’s data center fight pits industry against conservation
The Stratos Project data center in Box Elder County, Utah, is facing strong opposition from conservation groups and local residents due to concerns about its environmental impact, particularly on water resources and the Great Salt Lake. Opponents have filed legal protests regarding water rights and the project's thermal load, and the political fallout has led to the defeat of local commissioners and a state senator involved in the project's approval. Developers maintain the project will bring economic benefits and use less water than current agricultural practices.
The Stratos Project, a proposed 9-gigawatt data center in Utah's Hansel Valley, Box Elder County, has become a central point of conflict between industrial expansion and conservation efforts in the state. Developers, including "Shark Tank" investor Kevin O'Leary, champion the project, citing its potential to create 2,000 permanent jobs, generate significant tax revenue, and bolster national security through AI integration.
However, the project faces considerable backlash from conservation groups such as Grow the Flow and Mineral Resources International (MRI), who label it an "environmental train wreck." Their concerns primarily revolve around the data center's potential to strain already limited water supplies, exacerbate the decline of the Great Salt Lake, and contribute to thermal pollution in the area. MRI President Bruce Anderson and Grow the Flow Executive Director Ben Abbott have vocally opposed the project, with MRI filing formal water quality and quantity protests against the project's water rights change application.
Despite developers' assurances that the data center will use less water than existing agricultural practices, drawing from deep underground wells and potentially returning water to the lake, a preliminary analysis by Utah State University physics professor Robert Davies suggested potential temperature increases from the project's thermal load. The controversy has already translated into political consequences, leading to the defeat of Utah Senate President Stuart Adams and two Box Elder County commissioners in their recent elections, which opponents view as a significant victory for public accountability. Critics hope to either significantly downsize or entirely halt the project.