Goshute Indian tribe voices opposition to U.S. Army data center proposal in Tooele County

GRANTSVILLE — A small Native American tribe opposes a proposed U.S. Army data center in Tooele County, joining the chorus of people and groups concerned with data center projects cropping up around Utah.

The Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians, based in Grantsville, worries the proposed Tooele County facility, announced in March, would sap groundwater resources the tribe uses. Concerns about potential water use are a key concern for critics of a data center proposal in Box Elder County spearheaded by celebrity businessman Kevin O'Leary that's received widespread attention. More recently, a data center proposal in Spanish Fork has sparked heated debate.

"The hyper-scale data center will have an extreme impact on the quality and quantity of groundwater available to ensure the tribe's survival, potentially contaminating the tribe's sole source of water and the area's fragile ecosystem," the Skull Valley Band said in a statement on Thursday. "Existing and future water availability in this region cannot support the excessive water needs for a hyper-scale data center."

The U.S. Army announced plans last March for a data center on 1,201 acres on the grounds of the Dugway Proving Ground, located in an expansive and remote area of Tooele County near the border with Nevada. The facility, to be developed by CyrusOne, a Dallas, Texas, firm, is to become operable in 2029.

Army officials haven't described the sort of technology to be used at the Dugway data center and didn't immediately respond to a query Friday seeking comment. A fact sheet on the plans, though, states that an environmental review will occur before work begins and that the facility's water and power systems will be designed "to minimize strain on public utilities."

The Dugway proposal, moreover, will aid in U.S. defense without requiring upfront taxpayer funding, according to the fact sheet. The facility would support the Army's need "for high-performance computing power for future technologies like (artificial intelligence), drone swarms and next-generation command and control," it reads.

Skull Valley Band leaders say the tribe, which has 134 enrolled members and covers about 28 square miles, will be most directly impacted by the proposal.

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The facility "would use 500 megawatts of electricity and will discharge up to 250,000 gallons per day of salt-heavy wastewater into wetlands and elsewhere. Tooele County's groundwater is already over-allocated and there is no alternative source of water for the tribe," they said in their statement.

The tribe sent a letter of opposition to the plans to Gov. Spencer Cox, but didn't receive a response. Tribal leaders are also calling on Tooele County officials to oppose any zoning or land-use requests related to the project and, if it proceeds, to "impose strict requirements" on its operation.

Separately, Tooele County is the site of a proposed nuclear energy hub touted by state officials as a means of advancing development of nuclear power to meet growing demand for energy. U.S. Department of Energy officials are seeking proposals for several campuses around the country but haven't yet picked any sites.

Also in Tooele County, EnergySolutions is pursuing a proposal to import 1.31 million cubic yards of low-level radioactive waste from Canada for disposal at its Clive facility. In its statement Thursday, the Skull Valley Band said it opposes the Energy Solutions expansion proposal.

In the event of an accident involving the radioactive waste, the tribe would be one of "the most highly exposed populations" yet it hasn't been consulted on the matter," it reads. "The Tribe needs to be at the table to discuss the process and potential approval of this disposal."

EnergySolutions officials have previously said the waste from Canada, similar to material the facility already handles, would be "the lowest category of low-level radioactive waste from a hazard perspective."

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