Box Elder voters seek referendum to overturn AI data centre approval
Updated
Updated · CNN · May 9
Box Elder voters seek referendum to overturn AI data centre approval
9 articles · Updated · CNN · May 9
The bid targets commissioners’ Monday approval of the 9-gigawatt Stratos project in northwest Utah and needs more than 5,000 signatures for the November ballot.
Residents say the 40,000-acre development and planned gas plant could harm the Great Salt Lake ecosystem, water supplies and local communities, and want independent environmental studies and more public review.
Backers including Kevin O’Leary say the project could cost over $100bn, create jobs and support national security, reflecting wider US resistance to fast-growing data-centre expansion.
As Utah fights to save the Great Salt Lake, can it afford the water and energy demands of a new AI data center?
Why is Utah's AI project using natural gas while tech giants globally shift to renewable energy sources?
Utah’s Stratos Project: $20 Billion AI Data Center Ignites Water Fears, Community Uprising, and MIDA Power Struggle
Overview
The Box Elder County Commission’s approval of the Stratos Project in May 2026, through agreements with MIDA, immediately sparked strong community backlash and visible tension at the public meeting. Commissioner Lee Perry explained that, unable to stop the data center, he chose to partner with MIDA to secure benefits like emergency services and higher taxes for the county. Despite these assurances, residents quickly mobilized to challenge the decision, aiming to place a referendum on the ballot. This sequence highlights the clash between local government decisions, community activism, and the broader struggle for control over major development projects.