Opposition Mounts as O’Leary’s Data Centre Approved in Drought-Stricken Utah

A proposed artificial intelligence data center by celebrity investor Kevin O’Leary, named Stratos, secured approval from Box Elder County Commissioners on May 4 without completing an environmental impact study. The decision came after hundreds of protesters opposed the project during a public meeting, forcing commissioners to retreat and livestream their vote. The approval transfers jurisdiction to Utah’s Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA), a state agency with broad powers to grant tax breaks and exemptions for projects like Stratos. Stratos is planned as a 160-square-kilometer hyperscale data campus requiring energy equivalent to two states the size of Utah. The project will initially rely on gas from the Ruby pipeline, with potential future grid contributions, though no concrete renewable energy commitments have been made. Construction phases will span a decade, pending approvals from Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Natural Resources. Critics argue the project risks undermining global climate goals, as AI data centers increasingly depend on fossil fuels like coal and gas. The Green Web Foundation’s director, Chris Adams, called it a ‘petrotech’ project that shifts environmental costs onto local communities. O’Leary’s earlier ‘Wonder Valley’ branding for the site drew comparisons to another AI data center project in Alberta, Canada, which faced similar opposition. The approval process highlighted tensions over land use and property rights, with commissioners citing zoning laws but avoiding direct environmental assessments. MIDA, appointed by the governor and federal officials, operates outside standard public access laws, raising concerns about transparency. Environmental groups warn the project could exacerbate drought conditions near the Great Salt Lake while accelerating fossil fuel dependence.