State agencies start scrutinizing Box Elder County data center project

A proposed data center project in Box Elder County, Utah, is facing significant scrutiny and public opposition. The Utah State Engineer's office has received an unprecedented 3,800 formal protests and 2,000 letters of concern regarding the project, which seeks to appropriate 1,900 acre-feet of water. Teresa Wilhelmson, the Utah State Engineer, is responsible for reviewing the water rights application based on Utah water law through an administrative hearing, which is not a public meeting but allows protestants to submit additional information. Concerns about the data center's potential impacts extend to state leaders, including Governor Spencer Cox, who described the project's unknowns as "very troubling." Many opponents attended a forum about the Great Salt Lake, highlighting worries about the data center's energy and water consumption, particularly given its proximity to the shrinking Great Salt Lake. The public's strong reaction suggests that state officials are acknowledging the need to protect the lake and considering how this project aligns with conservation efforts. Beyond water rights, the State Commissioner's Office has tasked leaders with saving the Great Salt Lake, and a state representative has filed a bill on Capitol Hill to mandate environmental reviews for data centers, which current state law does not require. This legislative effort aims to address the potential impacts on water usage, air quality, and other environmental factors before such large-scale projects, like the Box Elder County data center, can proceed. If the State Engineer's decision is not satisfactory, protestants can appeal the administrative relief and eventually take the case to court.