Referendum for Box Elder's AI data center denied. What now?
Box Elder County's attorney denied a referendum seeking to overturn the county commission's approval of an AI data center project, ruling it's not legally referable to voters. The opposition group, Box Elder Accountability Referendum, plans to appeal this decision in Utah's First District Court. Meanwhile, the state auditor's office launched a new website to provide transparency on the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA), which has supported the controversial data center.
Residents in Box Elder County, Utah, led by Fera Plyley from Tremonton, are actively opposing an AI data center project supported by businessman Kevin O'Leary. The group, Box Elder Accountability Referendum, sought to have a county commission decision to approve the project put to a voter referendum. However, the Box Elder County Attorney's Office announced that the proposed referendums would not be referred to voters for the November ballot, stating the commission's action is not legally referable as it's not a new law.
Undeterred, the Box Elder Accountability Referendum group plans to appeal this decision within 10 days in Utah's First District Court. They expressed confidence in the substance of their legal challenge. Concurrently, the state auditor's office has launched a new website to address public inquiries regarding the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA). MIDA is a state entity that has been instrumental in facilitating the data center project, and the new website aims to provide better oversight and understanding of its operations and evolution.