Are you concerned about Data Centers?

   Have you heard of the proposed $240 million taxpayer-backed infrastructure permit for an alleged data center in Tooele County? They want to discharge concentrated brine from a reverse osmosis water treatment plant into wetlands just 1.6 miles from Great Salt Lake (RIGHT IN OUR BACK YARD!) The discharge would flow directly into Gilbert Bay with no enforceable limits on salt, chloride, or arsenic.​

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​    A nuclear-powered AI data center presents a complex public health risk-benefit profile. Nuclear energy may reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions compared with electricity generated from coal or natural gas. However, these benefits should not overshadow the potential negative effects experienced by nearby communities. A combined nuclear reactor and data center could place substantial pressure on local water supplies, increase noise and industrial activity, affect aquatic ecosystems through heat discharge, and create additional demands on roads, housing, emergency services, and healthcare systems. Communities may also experience chronic stress, anxiety about radiation or accidents, concerns about property values, and reduced trust in government or industry if planning and permitting decisions are not transparent. Although serious nuclear accidents are unlikely, their potential consequences require extensive emergency preparedness, evacuation planning, environmental monitoring, and long-term public health capacity.

   The storage and transportation of radioactive waste also create responsibilities that may continue for generations. The public health burden may be greatest in rural, low-income, Tribal, or otherwise politically marginalized communities that have limited influence over siting decisions (location of facility). These populations may experience the water, land-use, noise, infrastructure, and perceived safety burdens while receiving relatively few long-term economic or health benefits. Therefore, the primary concern is not limited to radiation exposure alone. It includes the cumulative effect of water depletion, environmental disruption, occupational hazards, community stress, emergency preparedness requirements, and environmental injustice. Before approving such a development, decision-makers should require a comprehensive Health Impact Assessment (HIA), cumulative environmental risk assessment, independent water-use analysis, emergency response evaluation, and meaningful community participation. Without these protections, the development of nuclear-powered data centers could create substantial and long-lasting negative public health consequences, even when the reactor operates within established regulatory limits.

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To learn more about the potential impact of a nuclear campus in Tooele County, click here.