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Last Update: 10/27/2026 at 5:34 AM EST
Utah Data Center Debate
Coverage from Deseret News, Deseret, and others
The Stratos proposal is a large hyperscale AI data-center campus planned for Box Elder County near the Great Salt Lake, backed by investor Kevin O’Leary.
Its scale and infrastructure plans have made local approvals, zoning, environmental review, water rights, and public participation central questions for residents and officials. Supporters point to jobs, investment, and national-security goals; opponents question the project’s resource demands and potential effects on the lake, local communities, and quality of life. The debate also involves proposed gas power and air-cooled or closed-loop cooling systems, as well as efforts to challenge or reshape project approvals.
Looking Back
149 Day Timeline
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All Articles141 articles
Important
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
Creekstone Energy is commissioning University of Utah research on Operation Oasis, a proposed condensation-based water system for its Delta, Utah, AI data center, with results expected in summer 2027.
9/8/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
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 • General
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 • General
Utah residents protested the Stratos Project earlier this year in Box Elder County, while researchers found no evidence that foreign activity materially drove opposition or project outcomes.
9/15/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Utah residents and officials are debating data-center development as projects such as Stratos and Creekstone could increase rural jobs and tax revenue while affecting utility costs and property-tax rates.
9/2/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
Clearfield City Council approved a 180-day data center development moratorium Tuesday in Clearfield, Utah, to study zoning and infrastructure requirements.
9/11/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Spanish Fork City leaders delayed a Title 15 zoning amendment for Volitions proposed natural-gas-powered data center near Spanish Fork Canyon after residents raised concerns about timing, impacts, and project benefits.
9/2/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Utah environmental officials told lawmakers Wednesday at Capitol Hill hearings that the proposed Box Elder County data center faces permitting hurdles amid gaps in heat and noise regulation.
8/20/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
Juab County approved Nebo North LLC's proposed 3-million-square-foot data-center campus near Mona, Utah, on April 15, 2026, prompting resident concerns about notice and resource impacts.
8/30/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
Utah's Military Installation Development Authority approved the Stratos hyperscale data center in May near Hansel Valley, prompting local opposition and legal challenges over power, water, and environmental impacts.
9/1/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Spanish Fork residents opposed Volition's self-powered AI data center proposal during an Aug. 18 public hearing as the City Council considered onsite-generation regulations.
8/31/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
Juab County approved a proposed data center campus near Mona, Utah, on September 8, 2026, despite resident concerns about public involvement and potential 750-megawatt grid demand.
9/14/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
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 • General
Stratos’s Utah west desert data center faces referendum and lawsuit action after disputes over water rights, cooling claims, and proposed gas power impacts.
7/27/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
Interesting
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
Utah lawmakers reviewed data center permitting, environmental impacts, incentives, and opposition surrounding the paused Stratos project Wednesday at the Utah Capitol.
8/20/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Kevin O'Leary said Thursday that revised plans and greater impact disclosures would address Box Elder County opposition to the Stratos data center in Utah.
8/10/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Hundreds of residents opposed a Utah Division of Air Quality wastewater permit near the Great Salt Lake, citing arsenic and salinity risks and drought-driven water concerns tied to a data-center-linked industrial project.
7/28/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
Utah residents and political opponents challenged the proposed Stratos Project in Box Elder County after environmental concerns and alleged foreign social media influence intensified debate in 2020s America.
9/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
Utah lawmakers are considering a proposal in Utah to define large data centers, including QTS's planned 177-megawatt facility in Eagle Mountain.
8/20/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Utah's Division of Water Quality heard July 27 public testimony in Tooele County on a permit allowing a proposed treatment plant to discharge reverse-osmosis wastewater toward the Great Salt Lake.
7/30/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Utah residents opposed a July 27, 2026 water discharge permit for the Tooele Valley inland port and data center project at a hearing by the Utah Division of Water Quality.
7/28/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Box Elder County Commission approved a 180-day moratorium on new data center applications in Utah, while the Stratos Project remains exempt under MIDA.
6/10/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
During a discussion in Ogden, Utah, panelists called for public scrutiny of data center proposals and local decisions affecting communities across the state.
9/30/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
In a new report, Sutherland Institute researchers in Utah found colocation and hyperscale data centers generate construction jobs, with larger facilities supporting more permanent technical employment.
9/3/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
In the current proposal, Utah's Military Installation Development Authority would collect revenue from the Stratos data center in Box Elder County to help fund National Guard projects.
10/1/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • General
Utah residents and researchers questioned proposed data centers' effects on electricity prices, jobs, and property-tax stability during an Aug. 19 state legislative hearing in Utah.
9/6/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
Additional
University of Utah researchers warned in Salt Lake City that proposed Utah data centers could create initial property tax benefits followed by future taxpayer volatility, especially in rural counties.
8/11/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • General
The University of Utah's Wilkes Center launched an interactive Utah data center resource in 2025 examining statewide facilities, resource demands, and regulatory gaps.
8/4/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
Jim Walsh warned that rapid AI data-center expansion, including the proposed Stratos project in northern Utah, is increasing water, energy, land-use, and regulatory conflicts.
5/29/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General
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 • General