Protesters confront Box Elder County commissioners who approved Stratos Project data center
Hundreds of protesters confronted the Box Elder County Commission in Brigham City over the recently approved Stratos Project data center. Opposition groups are pushing for a referendum to challenge the approval and are raising concerns about water usage, particularly after a water rights application for the project was withdrawn.
Following the Box Elder County Commission's decision to approve the massive Stratos Project data center, hundreds of residents from northern Utah gathered in Brigham City to protest and voice their frustration. The protest was organized by Tiffany Larson and included diverse ideological groups, united by a feeling of being unheard. Brigette Cottam, part of the Box Elder Accountability Referendum group (BEAR), announced that county officials are expected to rule on their referendum proposal soon, which aims to challenge the data center's approval. Protesters also raised concerns about water scarcity in Utah's desert environment, particularly as a water rights change application for the Stratos Project, filed by Murray Hollow L.C., was withdrawn for a second time after receiving approximately 700 official protests. Additionally, the BEAR group claims that the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) violated state law in its approval process for the data center.