Box Elder County mega data center poses environmental concerns

Scientists are expressing major environmental concerns regarding a proposed mega data center in Box Elder County, Utah. Robert Davies, a professor of physics at Utah State University, and Patrick Belmont, a professor in watershed sciences, highlight numerous unanswered questions about the project's impact. Their primary focus is on water usage, particularly for power generation, which could be up to three times Utah's current consumption. They question the efficacy and environmental implications of the proposed closed-loop cooling system, expressing concern that massive amounts of heat could be dumped into the air or, more critically, into an already stressed aquifer and watershed. The professors also note that the project's significant water demands could negate conservation efforts made by thousands of residents. Furthermore, Davies points out that the proposed maximum 9 gigawatts of power would require all the gas currently available in the pipeline, much of which is already allocated to other customers. Both professors suggest that the developers may be intentionally opaque and rushing the project to avoid scrutiny of inconvenient details, concluding that from a scientific standpoint, the project appears to be a "very bad idea" given the lack of shared information.