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Last Update: 11/01/2026 at 11:33 PM EST
Utah Stratos Data Center Fight
Coverage from The New York Times, Reuters, and others
The topic centers on the proposed Stratos data center campus in Box Elder County, Utah, and the political, environmental, and permitting dispute around it.
The project has drawn scrutiny over its scale, water use, power needs, and possible emissions, prompting state and local officials to narrow early approvals to a phased buildout. It matters because the case has become a test of how Utah will handle very large data center projects amid concerns about local impacts and public trust.
Looking Back
73 Day Timeline
May 6
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History
06/29/2026
The story has shifted from a general permitting battle to a more specific political and procedural fight over how Utah should scale back and stage the Stratos campus. The current version also adds a broader statewide dimension, with the project now framed as a test of transparency, governance, and voter attitudes toward data centers.
06/28/2026
The story has shifted from a broad Utah data-center permitting conflict to a more specific account of the Stratos AI campus advancing under tighter state oversight. The new emphasis is on a broader policy response: Utah is now actively shaping rules for future data-center development, not just reacting to this project.
All Articles150 articles
Additional
Kevin O'Leary's Wonder Valley Stratos data center in Box Elder County, Utah faces scaled-back plans and pending environmental review and water rights amid Great Salt Lake water and tax-break disputes before the June 23 primaries.
6/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Energy Secretary Chris Wright, speaking at an AWS conference on June 30, urged data center supporters to push back against community and voter criticism over water, power, jobs, and impacts, while Utah project plans faced opposition and wildlife constraints.
6/30/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Box Elder County commissioners approved the phased Stratos AI data-center campus in northwest Utah, and residents filed a referendum application seeking a November vote to overturn the decision.
5/9/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Local Approvals & Hearings
Box Elder County commissioners approved the phased Stratos Project in northwest Utah, and residents filed a November referendum application after protests.
5/9/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Box Elder County commissioners approved the Stratos Project in Utah, and local voters seek a November referendum to overturn the approval over environmental and water concerns.
5/9/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Box Elder County, Utah approved a 9-gigawatt Stratos AI data center project near the Great Salt Lake on Monday while residents pursued a November referendum after protests.
5/9/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Box Elder County commissioners approved the Stratos hyperscale data-center project in northwest Utah on May 4, following protests over power sourcing, water needs, and permitting transparency.
5/17/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Hundreds of Utah protesters and Box Elder County referendum organizers escalated opposition to a proposed Box Elder County data center over water and power concerns.
5/15/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
In Box Elder County, Utah, data-center opponents added seismic concerns tied to the 1934 earthquake after Military Installation Development Authority statements on geotechnical study timing.
5/16/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Health & Noise Concerns
Gabi Finlayson and Josh Kanter sued Kevin O'Leary in federal court after Fox Business broadcast accusations connected to opposition to a Great Salt Lake data center proposal.
7/15/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Wrightstown, Wisconsin held a listening session on a possible Cloverleaf hyperscale data center proposal in May 2026, with residents raising farmland and land-use concerns.
5/19/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Kevin O'Leary and Utah officials discussed a Box Elder County data center water rights withdrawal amid Great Salt Lake water use concerns.
5/11/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water Supply & Access
MIDA fast-tracked approval of Utah's Stratos Project near the Great Salt Lake Basin in early May, then officials and scientists pressed for acreage reductions and tighter environmental review.
6/5/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
House Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie requested FBI and Trump-adviser briefings after claims of Chinese influence in growing U.S. data-center opposition.
6/10/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Utah opposition to Kevin O'Leary's Stratos data center intensified after allegations of foreign ties, alongside commission approval, water-rights protests, and a planned voter referendum.
5/23/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Box Elder County commissioners approved the Stratos Project data-center campus in Hansel Valley, while residents and state-linked analyses raised concerns over water sourcing, emissions, and 9GW power demand.
5/20/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Arizona State University researchers reported Phoenix neighborhood temperature increases from data center waste heat, potentially raising household cooling demand and energy costs.
6/4/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Health & Noise Concerns
Box Elder County, Utah commissioners advanced the Stratos Project on a 9-GW data center after resident protests and a referendum filing over land, power, heat, and Great Salt Lake water impacts.
5/11/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Kevin O'Leary and researchers debate alleged foreign-influence narratives amid protests over a 9-gigawatt Utah data center project advanced by Box Elder County.
6/10/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Utah organizations Alliance for a Better Utah and Elevate Strategies sued Kevin O’Leary and Fox News in connection with disputed comments opposing the Stratos data center proposal in Box Elder County.
7/17/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Residents opposed proposed data center projects at county meetings in the US, with Utah leadership urging downsizing of a Salt Lake City region campus backed by Kevin O'Leary.
6/4/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Residents near the Slough data center reported higher temperatures during a European heatwave as Cambridge researchers proposed a data heat island effect.
6/26/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Health & Noise Concerns
Lee Zeldin visited Great Salt Lake areas on May 23, 2026 as Utah protests targeted the proposed Stratos Project and state air permitting steps remain pending.
5/24/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and Alberta communities challenge Wonder Valley and related approvals amid concerns over water licenses, land impacts, and power demand for multigigawatt AI data centers.
6/9/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Utah election defeats tied to a Great Salt Lake data center campus highlight growing national backlash against data center growth ahead of November.
6/25/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Utah voters helped defeat elected officials after support for the Stratos data center near Great Salt Lake, with similar opposition effects reported in Missouri.
6/25/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Arizona State University researchers measured upwind and downwind air temperatures around Mesa and Chandler data centers in 2025, finding downwind neighborhood warming from waste heat plumes.
5/18/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water & Cooling: Cooling System Design
Kevin O'Leary scaled back the Stratos hyperscale data center in Utah's Box Elder County after resident backlash over Great Salt Lake water transfer proposals.
6/5/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox ordered air-quality and water-protection permit reviews for the Stratos Project after Box Elder County approved the first 1.5-gigawatt phase.
5/10/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
O'Leary Ventures and Utah Military Installation Development Authority advance the Wonder Valley data-center-and-power-plant project in Box Elder County as revised job estimates and local referendums challenge water and air-impact concerns.
5/13/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Community & Local Opposition: Community Benefits & Jobs
J. Stuart Adams requested a 75% reduction to O'Leary Digital's Stratos AI data center campus in Box Elder County, Utah, citing water and environmental commitments.
6/3/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Groups opposed to the Stratos data center in Box Elder County, Utah, filed a defamation lawsuit in federal court against Kevin O'Leary and Fox News in 2023.
7/15/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Kevin O'Leary and Box Elder County approved the Stratos Project AI data center campus in northwest Utah despite water and noise concerns from residents.
5/8/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Community & Local Opposition: Community Benefits & Jobs
After Box Elder County commissioner approval of the Stratos Project AI data center in Utah, community opponents and Kevin O'Leary disputed water, cost impacts, and opponents' funding transparency.
5/18/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Box Elder County, Utah residents filed a referendum application after approval of Kevin O'Leary's $100 billion data center proposal.
5/18/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Prometheus Hyperscale outlined a 1.2 gigawatt data center campus east of Evanston, Wyoming, proposing PG25 closed-loop cooling and on-site gas power amid Uinta County resident questions.
5/26/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Sara Pequeño discusses a Box Elder County, Utah vote to proceed with a 40,000-acre data center despite opposition over noise, air pollution, water use, and electricity demand.
5/17/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Arizona State University researchers measured downwind air-temperature increases near data centers in metro Phoenix and linked the warming to waste heat and local cooling demand.
6/6/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Health & Noise Concerns
Nye County commissioners in Nevada postponed immediate action on a data-center moratorium while residents organized around water and power capacity concerns tied to the proposed Blackjack Data Center.
7/10/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Utah officials scaled back the Stratos data center after local protests over drought-driven water concerns, amid active federal proposals on data center energy and environmental oversight.
6/11/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
A preprint study using satellite-derived temperature and greenness data reports a 1.44 C summer heat island effect near nearly 10,000 global data centers.
5/29/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Land Use Conflicts
O'Leary's Stratos and Wonder Valley AI data center proposals in Utah and Alberta face growing pushback from residents and Indigenous stakeholders over power, water demand, and environmental review processes.
6/8/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Utah Military Installation Development Authority and Box Elder County commissioners approved a data-center development agreement and incentives as Mike Schultz raised water and land-involvement concerns.
5/16/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Reno and Nevada election coverage spotlights water and electric capacity concerns as data-center development accelerates, with Governor Joe Lombardo supporting expansion.
5/17/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Boulder City planning commission voted 6-1 on May 20 to recommend denial of the Townsite Solar 2 data center amid Nevada resident concerns about electricity, water, and heat impacts.
5/24/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams urged Kevin O'Leary to reduce the Stratos data center footprint to about 10,000 acres and add environmental safeguards, citing water and land impacts in Box Elder County.
6/5/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Land Use Conflicts
Kevin O'Leary's proposed 40,000-acre hyperscale data center in Utah's Box Elder County draws majority opposition, with surveys highlighting water, energy, and scale concerns.
5/22/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
About 20 protesters in St. George on Thursday opposed the Stratos AI and hyperscale data center proposal in Box Elder County, citing water use, power impacts, and approval transparency.
5/23/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox directed phased permitting and public water and cooling safeguards for a proposed Box Elder County data center limited to 1.5 GW in phase one.
5/8/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Utah officials approved a data-center development agreement and tax incentives in Box Elder County while House Speaker Mike Schultz faced scrutiny over land proximity and water-impact concerns.
5/15/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
A Morning Consult poll for the Deseret News-Hinckley Institute (May 15-18) shows Utah voters oppose Kevin O'Leary-backed Stratos Project data-center plans in Box Elder County.
5/21/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Kevin O'Leary-backed Stratos is questioned in Box Elder County, Utah, as residents seek details on noise, water, emissions, and tax deal terms.
7/7/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Residents filed protests in Box Elder County, Utah, against Project Stratos water-rights transfers, but dismissal followed developer withdrawal after HB60 changed state review rules.
5/9/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Governor Spencer Cox and Utah HB60 affect protests against O'Leary Digital water-right transfers for Project Stratos in Box Elder County.
5/9/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Spencer Cox said Utah will focus on phase I after Box Elder County approved a proposed large data center amid water and Great Salt Lake concerns.
5/12/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Utah voters, surveyed May 15-18 by Morning Consult for the Deseret News-Hinckley Institute, oppose the Stratos Project proposed in Box Elder County.
5/21/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Box Elder County commissioners approved the MIDA-linked Stratos Data Center on May 4 in rural Utah as residents protested environmental impacts and officials reported threats.
5/9/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Box Elder County approved a MIDA-backed Stratos Data Center agreement on May 4, and officials reported threatening voicemails and emails afterward.
5/9/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Iron County residents discussed a proposed 640-acre data center west of Cedar City, Utah, during a Planning Commission meeting as officials delayed action pending developer compliance and conditions.
5/8/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Community & Local Opposition: Community Benefits & Jobs
Box Elder County residents filed referendum applications in Utah against the planned Stratos-MIDA data center while Kevin O'Leary disputed water-impact claims and Utah Governor Spencer Cox cited further review.
5/11/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Kevin O'Leary promotes the Stratos Project in Box Elder County, Utah, where county approval and fast-tracked incentives face opposition over thermal load and water planning.
5/25/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Box Elder County data center opponents rallied at the Utah State Capitol on Thursday, pressing Governor Spencer Cox and regulators to slow approvals amid water and 9-gigawatt power concerns.
5/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
More than 600 people rallied at the Utah Capitol on Saturday against the May 4-approved Stratos data center proposal in Box Elder County, citing water and environmental impacts.
5/23/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz said he previously connected Kevin O'Leary to the proposed Stratos data center in Box Elder County as Utah issued guidance amid opposition.
5/29/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Todd Weiler and Kevin O'Leary clarified China-link claims in their dispute over O'Leary Digital's Box Elder County data center proposal amid concerns about water and environmental impacts.
7/1/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Residents in West Jordan, Utah reported noise from Aligned's data-center campus, while DataBank highlighted closed-loop cooling and generator sound controls.
7/10/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Health & Noise Concerns
BEAR and allied groups protested at the Utah State Capitol on Saturday to oppose the Stratos data center project in Box Elder County and prepare a referendum challenge.
5/23/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Box Elder County Utah leaders reviewed Gov. Spencer Coxs data-center executive order after backlash over the Stratos Project and referendum denials by County Attorney Stephen Hadfield.
6/1/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Blake Moore and Karianne Lisonbee in Utah disputed approval of a proposed Box Elder County data center, where local opposition focused on water impacts, transparency, and likely natural-gas power.
5/8/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Box Elder County commissioners approved a controversial Hansel Valley, Utah data center as critics cited heat, water stress, emissions, and insufficient public deliberation.
5/9/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Box Elder County, Utah commissioners approved a proposed large data center development after public concerns over cooling water use and electricity impacts during a contentious meeting.
5/8/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Utah commentary criticizes AI slopaganda that uses viral atomic-bomb comparisons to mislead public discussion of a proposed Box Elder County data center.
5/23/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Fulcrum Campaigns and Majorities Matter PAC ran ads in Utah to unseat Box Elder County commissioners after May special zoning approval for the Stratos data center.
6/6/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Wrightstown village officials held a May 13 forum after resident concerns about power, water, land use, noise, and light from potential Cloverleaf Infrastructure data center proposals and zoning code updates.
5/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
NetChoice filed a legal claim in Wrightstown, Wisconsin, challenging an August advisory referendum on data centers that was placed on the ballot in May.
7/3/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Wyoming residents in Natrona and Converse counties pressed Prometheus Hyperscale for more detail on a proposed hyperscale data center and power plant before permitting.
5/16/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
In Phoenix, Arizona, Gov. Katie Hobbs proposes ending a $38.5 million data center tax incentive amid community and worker concerns about extreme heat and local environmental impacts.
6/26/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Health & Noise Concerns
Cloverleaf Infrastructure defended plans for an AI data center in Wrightstown, Wisconsin, during a May 26 listening session followed by a May 27 referendum consideration.
5/27/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Kevin O'Leary supported the Stratos Project in Utah's Box Elder County after county approval, while opposition funding became a dispute over alleged China-linked influence.
5/30/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Utah Governor Spencer Cox criticized Kevin O'Leary-backed Box Elder data center plans in Utah after public protests drove withdrawal of a water rights request.
5/21/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Cloverleaf Infrastructure faced renewed community opposition during a Wrightstown, Wisconsin listening session on proposed data center development.
5/26/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • Public Engagement
Sailor researchers report measured downwind warming near four Phoenix-area data centers, with heat impacts up to 500 meters, using air cooling and rooftop chiller emissions.
5/19/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water & Cooling: Cooling System Design
Kevin O'Leary said documents would be released to support China-connection allegations against Utah groups opposing the Stratos Project in Box Elder County, Utah.
5/17/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Robert Davies and Ben Abbott analyze the Stratos Project in Hansel Valley, Box Elder County, Utah, citing waste heat estimates that could raise temperatures and worsen ecological and dust impacts.
5/11/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water & Cooling: Cooling System Design
In Box Elder County, Utah, Stratos Project water-use estimates remain unfinalized as developers and analysts dispute natural-gas power generation technology assumptions.
6/7/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water & Cooling: Cooling System Design
Kevin O'Leary's Stratos hyperscale data center proposal in Box Elder County, Utah, met intense opposition after approval hearings and concerns over water, power, and transparency.
6/1/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Box Elder County Commissioners approved the Stratos Data Center in Utah’s Great Salt Lake basin while community protests challenged water-rights and environmental-review assumptions.
5/6/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Environmental Review
Stratos faced environmental opposition and May 2026 regulatory response in Utah after Box Elder County approved the hyperscale project, followed by scale reductions and lawsuits.
7/5/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • NIMBY Opposition
Arizona State University researchers measured upwind and downwind temperature changes near Phoenix-area data centers in 2025, finding up to 4 degrees Fahrenheit warming downwind.
5/18/2026 • Water & Cooling • Heat Rejection Methods
Arizona State University reported Phoenix-area air-cooled data centers can raise nearby neighborhood temperatures by up to about 4 degrees Fahrenheit, based on upwind and downwind measurements.
6/12/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water & Cooling: Cooling System Design
Box Elder County approved the Stratos data center and energy campus on May 4, 2026, as Utah’s water-disclosure and water-rights rules become the main regulatory battleground.
5/30/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water & Cooling: Cooling System Design
Murray Hollow L.C. filed a permanent change of water for the Stratos Project data center in Box Elder County, Utah, and protests began May 18 over cooling water impacts and water quantity details.
5/19/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water Supply & Access
Bar H Ranch withdrew a Utah water-rights application for a proposed Box Elder County data center, while Box Elder County commissioners advanced the 40,000-acre plan.
5/7/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water Supply & Access
Mineral Resources International filed water quality and quantity protests against the Stratos Data Center in Hansel Valley, Utah, citing Great Salt Lake water-rights limits starting in 2027.
5/22/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water Supply & Access
O'Leary Digital's proposed Stratos data center in Box Elder County, Utah, faces resident opposition tied to potential groundwater impacts on the Great Salt Lake.
7/17/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water Supply & Access
O'Leary Digital submitted an 11 acre-foot water-rights transfer application to Utah's Division of Water Rights for a Hansel Valley data center as protests resume over Great Salt Lake impacts.
5/19/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water Supply & Access
Box Elder County residents in Utah challenged the proposed Stratos data center, citing water demand, thermal impacts, and electricity cost concerns amid a planned 9-gigawatt buildout.
6/22/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water Supply & Access
Kevin O'Leary responded to water-drain claims tied to a Box Elder County data center approved by county commissioners as Utah regulators tightened environmental cooling and water reporting requirements.
5/10/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water & Cooling: Cooling System Design
Friends of Great Salt Lake and O'Leary Digital faced rapid public protest after a second Utah Division of Water Rights filing for the Stratos data center opened April 28 for notice.
5/20/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water Supply & Access
In Box Elder County, Utah, Stratos development cited ongoing design work as Utah Clean Energy and others published competing water-use estimates based on proposed cooling and power technology choices.
6/7/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water & Cooling: Cooling System Design
Stratos data center plans in Box Elder County, Utah, drew backlash after water-use estimates based on natural-gas power and cooling design increased local concerns.
6/7/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water & Cooling: Cooling System Design
Kevin O’Leary’s 7.5-gigawatt Wonder Valley data center in Alberta, Canada, faces water and environmental scrutiny as construction is delayed to 2028 after permitting reviews.
5/12/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water Supply & Access
Arizona State University researchers measured upwind and downwind temperatures near Mesa and Chandler data centers from June 18 to Oct. 25, 2025, finding up to 4 degrees Fahrenheit downwind warming.
5/25/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water & Cooling: Cooling System Design
Utah scientists warn that the proposed Stratos hyperscale data center near the Great Salt Lake could generate heat and increase water demand, amid ongoing Box Elder County deliberations.
5/7/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water & Cooling: Cooling System Design
ASU researcher David Sailor reports a Phoenix East Valley temperature study found downwind neighborhoods warmer near four large data centers.
5/20/2026 • Water & Cooling • Water Use Efficiency
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued an immediate executive order setting eight permitting principles for AI data centers amid opposition to the Stratos Project in Box Elder County.
5/30/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Local Approvals & Hearings
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued an immediate executive order raising data center permitting review standards for water use, electricity demand, environmental impact, and public input.
5/31/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Environmental Review
Dina Titus asked BLM officials to justify Boulder City, Nevada data center authorization steps on public land by July 22 amid concerns about grid and water impacts.
7/9/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Local Approvals & Hearings
Utah DEQ commissioner Tim Davis said Project Stratos in Box Elder County has not started air and water permitting, requiring a year of background air monitoring before a permit application.
5/20/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Environmental Review
HEAL Utah urged Utah lawmakers and Gov. Spencer Cox in 2026 to adopt a statewide Data Center Impact Review and pause new data center approvals pending enforceable protections.
7/8/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Environmental Review
O'Leary Digital's proposed Box Elder County data center and energy complex in Utah faces pending air and water permitting after local MIDA review approvals.
5/25/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Environmental Review
Nephi, Utah, updated data center zoning to require low-water cooling and enhanced permitting steps as Washington County considered megawatt limits and reporting requirements.
6/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Permitting & Regulation: Zoning & Land Use
Uinta County, Wyoming commissioners approved Prometheus Hyperscale for AI data-center development after town hall opposition centered on environmental impacts.
6/19/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Permitting & Regulation: Zoning & Land Use
Nevada lawmakers questioned GOED leadership on data center tax abatements in 2026, amid Reno and Humboldt County approval pauses over energy, grid, and water concerns.
5/20/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Local Approvals & Hearings
Box Elder County approved the phased Stratos Project in Hansel Valley, Utah, where opponents raised water and electricity-cost concerns and referendum paperwork followed.
5/13/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Local Approvals & Hearings
Box Elder County approved the MIDA-backed Stratos data center in rural Utah, but the project must still secure DEQ and DNR approvals and water rights filings before construction.
5/9/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Environmental Review
Box Elder County Commission approved the Stratos Project with Utah MIDA on May 4, pending Utah DEQ air-permit reviews and Utah water-rights approvals.
5/9/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Environmental Review
Utah Senate President Stuart Adams asked Kevin O'Leary to shrink the O'Leary Digital Box Elder County data center from 40,000 acres to about 10,000 acres and add environmental protections.
6/1/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Local Approvals & Hearings
Box Elder County data-center opponents in Utah added earthquake and aftershock concerns after the Military Installation Development Authority approved the Stratos Data Center.
5/16/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Local Approvals & Hearings
Kevin O'Leary agreed to reduce a Utah data-center project in Box Elder County after Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams demanded a 75% land footprint cut.
6/4/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Environmental Review
Utah lawmakers in 2026 approved a summer study of wildlife and water impacts from a proposed Box Elder County data center tied to the Stratos Project Area.
5/24/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Environmental Review
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox set conditions for Stratos data center expansion in Box Elder County, including an air-permit review and water protections for the Great Salt Lake.
5/8/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Environmental Review
Utah legislators opened a study on data center impacts after Natural Resources Interim Committee action in Salt Lake City, focusing on wildlife, water, and air amid Stratos Project disputes in Box Elder County.
5/20/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Environmental Review
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said the Stratos Project data center in Box Elder County must complete permitting, citing no air quality permit application and ongoing water-rights protests.
5/22/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Environmental Review
Hundreds of Brigham City residents protested in Box Elder County after Stratos Project approval, citing alleged approval-process violations and water rights concerns while a referendum decision awaited officials.
5/27/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Local Approvals & Hearings
Wrightstown, Wisconsin held a public information meeting on data center development as an advisory referendum and potential Brown County moratorium discussions advance.
5/31/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Local Approvals & Hearings
Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed an executive order for data center development after protests over the proposed Stratos Project in Box Elder County.
5/30/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Local Approvals & Hearings
Utah officials outlined air-quality and water-pollution permitting steps for Kevin O'Leary-backed Box Elder County data center plans amid local opposition in 2026.
5/20/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Environmental Review
Box Elder County residents and a nonprofit sued Utah officials in Hansel Valley, challenging approval of the O'Leary Stratos hyperscale data center plan.
6/5/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • Local Approvals & Hearings
Box Elder County commissioners approved the Stratos data center and 9-gigawatt natural-gas complex in Utah despite thousands of protests over irrigation-water transfer.
5/10/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • Load Growth & Capacity
Kevin O'Leary and Utah officials advance a Box Elder County hyperscale data center after local approval, amid disputes over taxes, power supply, and community impacts.
5/19/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • Substation & Transmission
Utah Clean Energy warned at a Box Elder County public hearing that the proposed Stratos data center may require 9 GW of on-site natural gas power, increasing air and water impacts.
5/7/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • Backup Power & Generation
Spencer Cox signed an executive order in Utah directing agencies to limit Great Salt Lake water use and utility bill impacts from large data centers.
5/29/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • State Energy Policy
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued an executive order in 2026 directing agencies to protect the Great Salt Lake and prevent higher utility bills from large AI data centers.
6/1/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • Infrastructure Siting Policy
Box Elder County approved the Stratos Project on May 4, 2026, and Utah HB 60 and HB 76 are central to the remaining water and compliance dispute.
5/30/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • Infrastructure Siting Policy
Investor Kevin O'Leary supports the proposed Stratos data center campus in Box Elder County, Utah, as experts cite broader job multipliers and automation-driven permanent staffing limits.
5/11/2026 • Market Demand & Investment • AI Infrastructure Demand
Kevin O'Leary and Tucker Carlson debated Utah's unanimously approved Stratos data center plan, including tax incentives and projected 9 gigawatts power demand.
5/16/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • Tax Incentives & Abatements
Utah op-ed on May 8, 2026 links approval of Box Elder County data center plans to enforcement of 2025 new large-load rules and neutral tax and water procurement standards.
5/18/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • State Energy Policy
Creekstone Energy plans a 10 GW AI data center campus in Millard County, Utah, advancing early construction with gas interconnection, solar, and storage.
6/8/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • Industrial Parks & Campuses
Utah Inland Port Authority aligned with HB 507 outlines local approvals, public comment, and environmental review requirements for potential data center project areas.
6/26/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • Infrastructure Siting Policy
Kevin O'Leary's phased northern Utah data center proposal in Box Elder County won tax-incentive approvals, as water and environmental concerns spurred a referendum filing.
5/15/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • Tax Incentives & Abatements
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed an executive order on state oversight of Box Elder County data centers after backlash tied to Great Salt Lake and utility impacts.
5/29/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • State Energy Policy
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin faced Utah scrutiny over data center permitting tied to Great Salt Lake concerns amid protests against Stratos in Box Elder County.
5/23/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • State Energy Policy
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed an executive order on Friday establishing stricter state criteria for data center development with Great Salt Lake water protections in focus.
5/29/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • State Energy Policy
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued a Friday executive order to increase state oversight for the proposed Stratos mega-data center near Great Salt Lake.
5/29/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • Infrastructure Siting Policy
Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed an executive order in Utah requiring state agency approvals for large data centers after public backlash over the Stratos Project.
5/29/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • State Energy Policy
John Curtis said Utah should adopt transparent, standardized metrics for data-center sustainability as permitting reform accelerates projects like the Stratos Project in Box Elder County.
7/7/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • Infrastructure Siting Policy
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued May 29, 2026 guidance establishing a statewide evaluation framework for large data centers, prioritizing Great Salt Lake and utility ratepayer impacts.
5/29/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • Infrastructure Siting Policy
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued an executive order on data center project reviews in 2024, prioritizing Great Salt Lake water resources after Box Elder County public opposition.
5/29/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • Infrastructure Siting Policy
Emails describe outreach to Gov. Spencer Cox before a Utah executive order created statewide standards for data center approvals tied to the Box Elder plan.
5/31/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • State Energy Policy