BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah — Box Elder County leaders said Monday that they are now "reviewing" the executive order issued by Gov. Spencer Cox that will set new guidelines for data centers in the state.
Cox's order came after weeks of backlash against the proposed Stratos Project data center set to take up to 40,000 acres of land in the Hansel Valley of Box Elder County. Despite the outcry over the project, Box Elder County Attorney Stephen Hadfield last week denied two referendum applications that would have allowed the public to vote on the project.
County officials shared a statement about the executive order, saying, "At this time, the County is still reviewing the order and any potential impact it may have on state-level processes related to the Stratos Project."
Cox issues executive order on 'evaluation and development' of data centers:
In its statement, the county also reiterated that it has not "approved, permitted, or authorized" the construction of the data center, and that it only entered an agreement to "establish local protections and a process for further review" for land in the project area.
County leaders added that their prior actions were based on information provided by the data center developers, led by reality television star Kevin O'Leary, and the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA).
The county shared that the project "remains subject to applicable state review, permitting and regulatory processes."
Box Elder County's remarks came hours after Senate President J. Stuart Adams, who also heads MIDA, called for the footprint of the data center to be scaled by 75 percent.
The Box Elder Accountability Referendum group, which had its applications denied by the county, noted that O’Leary had stated in recent interviews that developers would only use about 25% of the parcel, so 10,000 acres may be all they need to fully build out the project.
Brenna Williams with BEAR feels Adams is simply responding to pressure amid an election year.
“They’re saying the right things, but do they really mean it? Or is it just an empty gesture? Because that’s what this feels like. It doesn’t feel like there’s any teeth behind it… and it almost feels like we’re being placated," Williams said.
BEAR hopes its efforts to put the issue on the ballot will stay alive. They’re preparing an appeal to Hadfield's decision and expect to file that later in the week.
Last week, Cox admitted that his executive order followed public pressure that had boiled over during the last few weeks.
The executive order includes priorities like:
- Protecting the Great Salt Lake and other water resources by ensuring water consumption is not increased and water quality is protected
- Protecting utility ratepayers from bearing the costs of infrastructure needed to serve large data center developments.
- Protecting air quality and minimizing impacts on surrounding communities
- Providing transparent, meaningful and thorough opportunities for public comment
- Supporting responsible economic development and job creation, particularly in rural Utah
