Suit filed against controversial planned Stratos datacenter project in Utah

A lawsuit has been filed against the planned Stratos AI data center project in Utah, with residents and the Alliance for a Better Utah organization claiming the development infringes on citizens' rights by limiting public input. The suit, filed by five unnamed residents of Box Elder County and the non-profit, contests the authority and approval process of the state's Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA), which is overseeing the project's proposal. This legal challenge emerges as celebrity investor Kevin O'Leary, who backs the project, has agreed to reduce its physical size.

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Under the Stratos plan, it would hold permanent, irrevocable control over public health, safety, taxation and land use across tens of thousands of acres of Box Elder county, with no voter recourse.

Plaintiffs' attorney David Irvine stated that under the Stratos plan, MIDA would hold "permanent, irrevocable control over public health, safety, taxation and land use across tens of thousands of acres of Box Elder county, with no voter recourse." State officials and MIDA have indicated they are reviewing the lawsuit. Initial plans envisioned a 40,000-acre campus, but O'Leary recently told NBC News that he would "have to" scale back the project.

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I am going to have to slim down the project.

Utah state senate president Stuart Adams confirmed O'Leary's agreement to reduce the project's size, set aside land for open space and wildlife protection, and commit water resources to the Great Salt Lake. Adams described the project as being in its "earliest stages" with a full permitting and environmental review process to follow. O'Leary, via social media, stated he is not abandoning the Utah project but understands the need for major changes, though he deemed a 75% reduction unrealistic. He accused opponents of spreading misinformation and denied claims of draining the Great Salt Lake or causing massive environmental damage, highlighting potential job creation and investment.

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A 75% reduction simply isn’t realistic for a project of this scale, but that doesn’t mean the concerns should be ignored.

Adding another layer to the controversy, O'Leary suggested he is investigating the funding of opposition groups, alleging evidence of "Chinese backed interests" influencing the campaigns. This accusation coincides with U.S. congressional Republicans requesting FBI information on "foreign influence campaigns working to slow American AI progress," citing concerns about potential impacts on national AI development.

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