Box Elder data center unrest will move to Cache County with protest set for May 30
Advocacy groups are holding a protest in Logan, Cache County, against the proposed Stratos data center project in Box Elder County, Utah. The groups are opposing the multi-billion dollar project due to environmental concerns and have vowed litigation after their referendum attempt was blocked and water rights applications withdrawn due to public outcry. This opposition has also influenced Iron County to enact a temporary data center moratorium.
Advocacy groups opposing the proposed Stratos data center project in Box Elder County, Utah, are intensifying their efforts with a protest rally scheduled for May 30 at the Cache County Historic Courthouse in downtown Logan. This demonstration, orchestrated by the Box Elder Accountability Referendum (B.E.A.R.) and six other organizations, follows a week of public forums and protests in Box Elder County.
The multi-billion dollar hyper-scale data center, planned for the remote Hansel Valley, has faced significant public outcry. Following initial approval by Box Elder Commissioners on May 4, the developer, Kevin O’Leary’s team, withdrew two water rights applications after state officials received hundreds of protests and letters of concern from residents and stakeholders.
Despite an adverse ruling from Box Elder County Attorney Stephen R. Hadfield on May 28, which blocked their attempt to place a referendum on the November ballot, B.E.A.R. and its allies have vowed to pursue litigation in Utah’s First District Court. The groups aim to raise awareness about the environmental consequences of the data center and advocate for greater community input in similar developments.
In a related development, the controversy surrounding the Stratos Project also influenced Iron County commissioners in southern Utah to enact a 180-day moratorium on new data center applications, allowing for a zoning review.