BRIGHAM CITY, Utah — A national grassroots movement, Humans First, recently brought its 'Data Center Revolt' bus tour to Box Elder County, highlighting local opposition to data centers, including the proposed Stratos Project.
Communities across the country are grappling with the issue of data center construction, and Box Elder County residents are among those expressing frustration. Kelli Ferguson, media relations for Humans First, stated that citizens are frustrated and feel unheard, lacking a voice in these decisions. The bus tour aims to support these communities by bringing their concerns to public attention.
Humans First describes itself as an AI safety company and clarifies that it is not anti-tech, anti-AI, or anti-data center. Instead, the conservative-leaning group focuses on engaging with local communities directly impacted by data center proposals. Kylie Jane Kramer, a senior advisor for Humans First, emphasized that their priority is to draw the attention of elected local and state officials to these community concerns.
The Stratos Project, backed by Kevin O'Leary, has faced significant backlash in Box Elder County. O'Leary had reportedly scaled back the project tremendously due to community opposition, but residents still do not want it at all. The project is currently involved in court proceedings, and a 180-day moratorium is now in effect in Box Elder County, reflecting local sentiment against the development.
Residents organized as the Box Elder Accountability Referendum, or BEAR, have taken legal action. BEAR sought a public referendum on the project's decision, but the county attorney rejected their application. The group is now suing to overturn that ruling. As of September 15, a ruling was pending in this case.
When issues surrounding the project began to unfold earlier this year, Kevin O'Leary stated his intention to address the concerns directly. He said at the time, “We’re going to follow that process, but what I’ve said after this, you know, debacle, whatever you want to call it, I said I’m going to take this over myself. I’ll talk to the people of Box Elder myself.”
Humans First has observed that cities where their tour has stopped are in varying stages of data center development, from none to full steam. Despite these differences, Kylie Jane Kramer noted that the core message from communities remains consistent. Kramer used an analogy to illustrate the public's viewpoint, stating, "That’s a conversation that needs to be had." She questioned why, if data centers are touted for bringing an economic boom, there isn't more dialogue and a seat at the table for locals. Kramer expressed hope that developers like Kevin O'Leary would step back to consider the impact on communities and the desires of local residents.
