Box Elder County Approves 40,000-Acre Data Center Despite Resident Opposition
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · May 11
Box Elder County Approves 40,000-Acre Data Center Despite Resident Opposition
8 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · May 11
Box Elder County commissioners unanimously backed a 40,000-acre data center on privately owned land in unincorporated Utah after a contentious meeting dominated by local opposition.
The project was advanced on promised economic gains, with county officials estimating 2,000 permanent jobs even as residents warned about noise, air pollution and heavy water use in a drought-prone area.
The opinion piece says the facility would consume more than twice the energy used by the entire state once completed, underscoring concerns that AI-driven infrastructure is outpacing local safeguards.
Nationally, more than 1,500 data centers are in development, mostly in rural communities, while polls cited in the article show many Americans view them as harmful to the environment, energy costs and nearby quality of life.
The article argues federal rules should set firmer limits on data centers, saying local governments are too often prioritizing tax revenue and development over residents' objections.
A Utah town deferred a massive data center. Is this a rebellion against the environmental cost of AI?
Is the AI boom on a collision course with rural America over water, noise, and pollution?