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MIDA presents 40,000‑acre ‘Stratus’ data‑center project to Box Elder commissioners
Summary
MIDA representatives described the Stratus project as a phased, agriculture‑compatible data‑center and on‑site power campus covering roughly 40,000 acres in unincorporated Box Elder County, emphasizing military mission benefits and local leasebacks for ranching.
MIDA (the Military Installation Development Authority) told Box Elder County commissioners that the proposed Stratus project area would cover "approximately 40,000 acres in unincorporated Box Elder County" and would support large‑scale data‑center and on‑site energy generation to serve AI and cloud computing workloads.
"At full build out, the Utah site is planned to support up to 7.5 to 8 gigawatts of power," said Hillary Venable, a MIDA project area director. Venable framed the project as intentionally tied to military mission and energy resilience and said MIDA requires "100% consent from all participating landowners, and the county." She said development would proceed in phases and include standards and guidelines aligned with county codes.
Venable said the model is intended to produce municipal revenues and infrastructure while preserving agricultural activity through leaseback agreements that allow ranching to continue on nonactive parcels. She described the project as supporting both defense‑related infrastructure and local economic development, with a master plan and development‑review committee to oversee site plans and municipal service coordination.
The presentation prompted sustained commissioner questioning about timing, local control, and the sequence of approvals. Commissioners pressed MIDA on specific protections, reporting requirements and whether the county would retain influence over development review once a project area is established; MIDA representatives said the county would be represented on a review committee and that state permitting and required impact studies would apply.
