Plus, the fight beyond data centers. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌
Wednesday, July 29 

Your Daily Guide

Good morning! Spend Saturday evening with us at 801 Day, presented by Rocky Mountain Power, from 5-9 p.m. at the Milk Block.

Celebrate Salt Lake City with live music from Sammy Brue and PFuzz, plus KRCL DJs spinning local favorites all night. Let’s get groovy, Salt Lake!

RSVP so we know you’re coming!

First Up

An engineer wearing a hard hat and safety vest adjusts equipment among large green pipes and pumps and water processing facility.

A wastewater treatment plant could be coming to Tooele. How does this tie into the data center debate? (Vithun Khamsong/Getty Images)

The fight over data centers in Utah isn’t just about data centers. It’s become a broader debate over water, pollution, transparency, and who gets to decide the future of communities surrounding the Great Salt Lake. That tension was on full display at a packed public hearing in Tooele County Monday night.

  • What’s on the table in Tooele? Hundreds of Tooele residents showed up to oppose a proposed wastewater treatment plant tied to a Utah Inland Port Authority development. Critics say the facility could discharge arsenic-containing wastewater into wetlands connected to the Great Salt Lake. [FOX 13]
  • While the proposal isn’t for a data center itself, one developer has previously expressed interest in bringing one to the site. Tooele County placed a moratorium on new data centers earlier this year while it studies their impact on water, power, and infrastructure. Inland Port officials say they won’t advance any data center plans until county leaders decide how to proceed. [FOX 13]
  • What’s the latest on the Stratos data center? The massive Box Elder County data center (aka Stratos) remains on pause amid lawsuits and a citizen-led referendum. Opponents continue to question its environmental impacts, while a Utah State University professor warned the project could raise nighttime temperatures by up to 20 degrees, a claim disputed by both developers and Gov. Spencer Cox. [Utah News Dispatch]
  • What’s next? The Division of Air Quality will decide whether or not to approve the Tooele permit after reviewing public comments. Meanwhile, Utah lawmakers continue to study data center impacts ahead of the 2027 legislative session. [FOX 13, Utah News Dispatch]

What Salt Lake's Talking About

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signs a memorandum in Tooele County, surrounded by state officials and industry representatives, with a large American flag backdrop.

Gov. Cox signs a memorandum with the U.S. Department of Energy in Tooele County.

Tooele Could Also Host a Nuclear Campus

Utah is one of five states still in the running to host a proposed federal Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus after signing an agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy to continue exploring the project. If ultimately selected, the Tooele County campus would bring nuclear fuel research and manufacturing. [U.S. Department of Energy]

Utah’s No. 1?

Utah placed number one in U.S. News’ annual Best States rankings, based on factors like healthcare, education, the economy, infrastructure, public safety, and fiscal stability. [U.S. News]

Silverside Deli Is Moving

Sugar House sandwich shop Silverside Deli is moving less than a block away to a larger space. But because its new spot is close to the Sprague Library, they need a city waiver to continue serving beer and wine. [KSL]

SLCo Buys Historic Building

Salt Lake County plans to buy the historic Axis Building downtown for $23 million, using hotel tax revenue to create office space for tourism partners and free up more room at the Salt Palace Convention Center. [Salt Lake Tribune]

Is Cyclospora in Utah?

Some say yes but the Department of Health says no. We talk about the parasite causing four in 10 Americans to change their diet. [City Cast Salt Lake 🎧]

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What To Do

Wednesday, July 29

Thursday, July 30

More Salt Lake Events

Mark your calendars: Free books for teachers and kids this weekend at Marissa’s Bookstore.

— Terina Ria

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