Box Elder County commissioners OK controversial data center proposal

Box Elder County commissioners unanimously approved a controversial data center proposal by Canadian entrepreneur Kevin O'Leary and his company, O'Leary Digital, during a contentious meeting in Tremonton. The decision, which involved approving two key resolutions required for the project to advance, was met with protests from opponents concerned about the facility's potential impact on local water resources, particularly the Great Salt Lake, and the absence of an environmental study. Chairman Tyler Vincent defended the project, citing its anticipated creation of jobs, economic development, and its crucial role in national security by bolstering U.S. military access to artificial intelligence and cloud-computing capabilities. The long-range plans include developing data center operations across 40,000 acres and supporting them with 9 gigawatts of power, likely from natural gas-fired plants, which has also drawn criticism. The proposal has sparked sharp debate, with public comments exceeding 2,500, though only 262 came from Box Elder County residents. O'Leary Digital officials have been in discussions with state leaders, including Gov. Spencer Cox, House Speaker Mike Schultz, and Senate President Stuart Adams, and the project is favored by Utah's Military Installation Development Authority, which has assisted in its progression.