Why Utah’s massive new data center plan has drawn such a backlash

Despite growing resistance from residents and environmental advocates, Utah officials moved forward with plans for a massive data center project that is poised to be one of the largest in the country.

In the far northwestern corner of Utah, the Box Elder County Commission on May 4 approved a data center project dubbed “Stratos Project.” However, the project has since received major public pushback, with residents raising concerns over its environmental impacts on the area. 

The growing resistance from residents in the county represents a broader movement by communities across the United States against the expansion of data centers. Many people have raised concerns about how data centers will affect communities’ energy bills, water supply, noise pollution, and much more. 

The backlash comes as the Trump administration has made it a priority to expand artificial intelligence infrastructure and data center development. 

In a new Gallup poll, the organization found that most