1. United States
2. Utah
3. Letter

I am your constituent from Lehi, writing to express my overwhelming concern about the Box Elder County Commission’s recent approval of the Stratos Data Center Project. I am urging you, as my federal representative, to publicly oppose the Stratos Project and unnecessary government handouts until proper due diligence has been completed. The project will displace 40,000 acres of land—3x the size of Manhattan and larger than the entirety of Bryce Canyon National Park. It will require 9 GW of power, which is more than double the entire state of Utah and more than every city in the country except New York City. Beyond the massive scale of this project, I am concerned about the Stratos Project for the following reasons: The Great Salt Lake is projected to reach a tipping point by 2030, and building this near our watershed puts the entire Wasatch Front at risk. Furthermore, the massive natural gas plant required for this site could increase Utah’s carbon emissions by 50%, which is a significant threat to our air quality. The project is expected to need over 100,000 acre-feet of water, which will strain farmers, cities, and the ailing Great Salt Lake ecosystem. The project is receiving over $1B in state subsidies through MIDA, which is in direct opposition to free-market principles and fiscal conservatism, which Utah prides itself on. The project has not conducted a comprehensive impact analysis, water availability assessment, air quality assessment, and the critical due diligence necessary to move forward with confidence. While this project is being framed as a national security priority, it should not come at the cost of our most vital natural resources. Please do everything you can to oppose this project, the unnecessary government spending, and irreversible impacts to our land and Great Salt Lake. Thank you for your leadership and public service on behalf of our state and home.