Utah's data center boom intersects with Shoshone stewardship of the Great Salt Lake
Original framing: “As Utah courts massive data centers, Shoshone leader Darren Perry calls for responsibility to the land” — bing news
The Shoshone have long understood the Great Salt Lake as a living system requiring balance and care. Their stewardship practices offer a model for sustainable water management that contrasts with the extractive logic of data center expansion.
The expansion of data centers in Utah intersects with deep historical patterns of resource extraction and ecological degradation.
The Shoshone perspective offers a vital counterpoint, emphasizing balance and reciprocity with the land. By integrating Indigenous knowledge into policy, enforcing sustainable water use, and supporting Indigenous-led restoration efforts, Utah can model a future where technology and ecology coexist. This synthesis not only honors the wisdom of the Shoshone but also aligns with global Indigenous movements advocating for environmental justice. The Great Salt Lake, as a living system, demands a governance model that reflects both scientific rigor and cultural humility.