BOX ELDER COUNTY — Developers of the Stratos data center project agreed to reduce its planned acreage by 50 percent following public opposition and an official request from Utah Senate President Stuart Adams. Kevin O'Leary, chair of O'Leary Digital and lead developer for the project, agreed to reduce the project footprint to approximately 20,000 acres before construction began.
The Stratos data center project was initially planned to span 40,000 acres across multiple sites in Utah. Local residents in Box Elder County opposed a proposed transfer of 1,900 acre-feet of water from a ranch to the project. Commenters paid a $15 fee each to submit public comments opposing the water transfer. Residents in Box Elder County also raised concerns regarding potential increases in electricity costs, air quality impacts, effects on wildlife, and land use.
Senate President Adams requested a 75 percent reduction in the project's scope via a letter to O'Leary. O'Leary stated that Adams challenged the project's size due to political pressures related to an upcoming election. Adams is currently running in a Republican primary election against two challengers in June. "We really screwed it up," O'Leary said.
O'Leary stated he will personally manage all project communications moving forward. "All the design is going to be transparent. Everything we do is going to be transparent because I'm not happy with where we're at right now," he said. Under the revised plan, 10,000 acres of the remaining land will remain undeveloped. Reports indicate the project's nine-gigawatt power capacity may remain unchanged.
The nonprofit Alliance for a Better Utah stated that the project must complete additional environmental reviews and obtain further approvals before construction can begin. "With responsible water use, transparency and input from the people of Utah, we will show the nation how to build it right," Adams said. "There must be written commitments in place, and the proposal must undergo a full permitting and environmental review process, just like any other development project in Utah," Adams said.