Residents flood commission with concerns over proposed Stratus data center

Dozens of residents used the meeting's public‑comment period to raise concerns about the proposed Stratus/Stratos project and to press the county to protect water, air and rural land uses.

Jack Strickney, introduced as a 26‑year Boxelder County resident, urged the commission to "follow the science, the engineering, and the facts wherever they lead," saying the moratorium should study "actual water availability and quality, the likely CO2 emissions and heat dissipation impacts, the real impact on wildlife populations" and overall infrastructure needs. Multiple speakers described well problems and the lack of hydrants near new housing; Christine Williams said, "Our home is in the Mountain View subdivision, which had zero fire hydrants in place when we closed out our home less than two years ago." Residents asked how water would be sourced for an AI‑scale facility and whether recycled cooling water or river withdrawals would be used.

Speakers also raised potential economic and social effects. Several commenters said permanent job counts would be small relative to construction employment and questioned whether local workers would fill long‑term positions. Miguel Durant asked whether facilities would be powered by existing grid capacity, gas turbines or nuclear, and what the safety consequences would be in each case. Others framed the issue as a defense of rural character and property rights: some speakers argued the county had a duty to uphold private property sale rights; others said the county should have instituted a moratorium earlier to prevent permitting that they view as rushed.

The comment period included varied voices: parental appeals about children's futures, medical‑style claims about electromagnetic impacts, references to recent ballot initiatives in other jurisdictions (Monterey Park), and calls for extended study periods. Commissioners heard both criticism of prior permitting and requests that the moratorium be used to craft robust protections for water, wildlife, and community character.