Overview
- The Utah Military Installation Development Authority approved four resolutions and a tax ordinance on April 24 that put tools in place to allow the Stratos project to move forward.
- MIDA’s approved project zone covers about 40,000 acres in Box Elder County while O’Leary Digital says the eventual data‑hall campus would occupy roughly 10,000 to 13,000 acres with much of that left as open space.
- Developers have disclosed plans for up to about 9 gigawatts of on‑site power capacity but have not detailed the physical footprint or fuel sources for that generation.
- Public opposition has surged with protests, thousands of water‑rights filings and a six‑month pause by Iron County on new data‑center and large energy approvals, and a newly formed Utah Civic Compact alleges procedural lapses that MIDA denies.
- Late‑May transparency moves include the auditor’s Transparent Utah dashboard and ongoing permit reviews, and those regulatory processes will determine whether environmental and water‑use concerns are independently vetted before construction proceeds.