Project Reduction: Venture capitalist Kevin O’Leary agreed to cut the proposed 40,000‑acre Stratos data‑center development in Utah by up to 75%, pledging to halve the land area in a letter to Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams.
Revised Land Use: Approximately 20,000 acres will remain for the data‑center; the rest will be designated as open space, wildlife protection zones, and continued agricultural use under an agreement with the Utah Department of Natural Resources.
Water and Environmental Commitments: New water supplies will be dedicated to the Great Salt Lake; thousands of acres set aside for environmental purposes; heat‑capture technology will be employed; independent scientific and engineering reviews will assess water use, infrastructure demands, and long‑term sustainability.
Regulatory Status: The project is in its earliest stage; no permits or approvals have been applied for or issued; a full permitting and environmental review process is required.
Public Transparency: State agencies will coordinate to create a centralized public‑facing website providing Utah residents with access to project information, review materials, environmental analyses, and updates.
Context: The concessions come amid broader pushback against rapid AI infrastructure build‑out, with O’Leary stating that many environmental concerns had been overstated.
