Utah is facing an environmental reckoning. The Great Salt Lake is shrinking, wildfire seasons are becoming more severe and water is increasingly precious. Now Utah is considering the Stratos data center project in Box Elder County — a massive industrial development that would consume water and enormous amounts of energy. The choices we make now will determine whether Utah remains a place where people can live, work and thrive in the outdoors.
As Olympic skiers, we share a deep love for Utah’s mountains and landscapes. As Utah prepares to welcome the world for the 2034 Winter Olympics, we must act decisively to protect the snow, mountains, wildlife and environment that define our state — and the outdoor economy and recreation culture built around them.
What Olympians have to say about Utah’s future
Kaylin Richardson, two-time Olympian: “I have been based out of Utah since 1999, and when I retired from ski racing in 2010, I stayed to raise my young children here. I want our future generations to have access to fresh air, clean water and the opportunity to thrive. We need to act with conviction and set the standard to do what is right.”
Jillian Vogtli, two-time Olympian: “I came to Park City 30 years ago to ski with the U.S. Ski Team, and I am passionate about the mountains and outdoor recreation. I stayed to raise my son, but now I have huge concerns about our ecosystem and wildlife. It is absolutely gutting to think about the project’s potential long-term impacts on our children and future generations.”
Craig Rodman, two-time Olympian: “I was born and raised in Utah, skiing the slopes of Park City Resort. I took my love of the mountains all the way to the world stage to compete in two Olympic Games. My love of the outdoors is what kept me here in Park City with my wife and to raise our boys.”
Why people should be concerned
Our concerns are not abstract. Utah’s ski industry contributed $2.51 billion to the state’s economy during the 2024-25 season. The snow that drives that economy depends in part on the Great Salt Lake, whose “lake effect” contributes an estimated 5% to 10% of Utah’s annual snowpack.
As the lake shrinks, exposed lake bed can send toxic dust into communities across the Wasatch Front and beyond. Scientists have warned that dust deposited on mountain snow can accelerate snowmelt, shorten winters and affect downstream water supplies.
The Stratos project data center is part of a much larger wave of industrial development moving through Utah’s permitting pipelines. The Utah Inland Port Authority and the Military Installation Development Authority provide mechanisms for large-scale projects to move forward, sometimes through separate processes. We must ask whether regulatory authorities are adequately protecting the resources on which Utah’s future depends.
State leaders have repeatedly promised that they will not allow the Great Salt Lake to dry up. Gov. Spencer Cox has also announced new principles and a framework for data-center development, promising to protect the lake and other water resources by ensuring that water consumption does not increase and water quality is protected.
But preventing an increase in water consumption is not the same as restoring the lake. Scientists estimate that hundreds of thousands of additional acre-feet of inflow are needed each year. Conservation alone cannot restore the lake unless that water ultimately reaches it.
The Stratos proposal has been scaled back. That is a meaningful change. But it does not resolve the fundamental questions about water, energy, air quality, wildlife and cumulative impacts.
As athletes, we understand that changing the course does not change the finish line. Utah still has an opportunity to get this right. We deserve a transparent process, rigorous environmental review, independent oversight and meaningful public participation before decisions with consequences for generations are finalized.
Our state has worked for decades to become a world-class outdoor destination. We should be just as determined to protect what made it one.