Kevin O'Leary agrees to dramatically cut Box Elder County data center project area

Key Points:

• Businessman Kevin O'Leary has agreed to reduce the controversial Box Elder County data center project area from about 40,000 acres to 20,000 acres, with half of that land preserved as agricultural or wildlife space, effectively limiting development to 10,000 acres.
• O'Leary Digital will remove two proposed project areas totaling nearly 20,000 acres, leaving a single 20,000-acre parcel in Hansel Valley, with a formal agreement to prevent development on the preserved land.
• Utah Senate President Stuart Adams praised the concessions, highlighting commitments to reduce water use, protect the Great Salt Lake, and incorporate advanced heat-capture technology, aligning with his calls for project downsizing and environmental safeguards.
• Opponents remain skeptical, arguing that even a smaller development poses significant environmental risks to Box Elder County and the Great Salt Lake, with some viewing the reduction as a pre-planned move rather than a genuine concession.
• Legal challenges continue as opponents filed a lawsuit against the rejection of a public vote on the project, while county and state authorities have approved key resolutions and tax ordinances to advance the initiative.