Meta announces data center expansion, water conservation efforts

Friday morning, Meta announced the expansion of their Eagle Mountain Data Center, increasing their investment to over $1.5 billion.

“We are thrilled to be expanding our presence in Utah,” said William Marks, Community Development Regional Manager at Meta. “Eagle Mountain and the State of Utah have been great partners from the beginning and we look forward to a continued strong and fruitful partnership for years to come.”

According to Marks, the data center will be a 4.5 million square-foot campus once completed and will support more than 300 jobs.

In addition to the data center campus expansion, Meta also announced a $200,000 grant in support of the Hobble Creek Flow Restoration Project in Utah County, which will improve water flow to Hobble Creek and Utah Lake.

The project will restore 476 million gallons of water per year.

“We are committed to restoring 200% of the water our data center consumes into local Great Basin watersheds,” said Marks.

“They’re putting their money where their mouth is,” said Evan Berrett, Economic Development Director for the City, when asked about the restoration project. “It’s been clear to me that Meta has been aware of everyone’s concerns about [water conservation].”

According to Meta, the Eagle Mountain Data Center design is 80% more water-efficient than the average data center. The data center conserves water by recycling water multiple times before discharging it as wastewater.

“It’s pretty exciting to have such a large data center here,” said Berrett.

Since breaking ground in 2018 and coming online in 2021, the Meta data center has contributed significantly to the economic growth of Eagle Mountain.

Meta has sponsored events, offered financial assistance to businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has been an active participant in the Union Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to the direct ways Meta has influenced Eagle Mountain, Berrett says there are several ways Meta’s presence has benefitted the City indirectly.

“That’s what put us on the map for economic development,” he said. “That’s why we have other data centers looking at us, because Facebook paved the way for that.”

Since Meta’s arrival in Eagle Mountain, other businesses have followed. “[It] put in a lot of money and a whole lot of infrastructure into our city, particularly in the south part of the city,” said Berrett.

Had it not been for Meta’s data center, Berrett believes City Center would not have seen its current economic growth rates for a few more years.

EM weather stations provide data for residents

Eagle Mountain has a unique climate as it’s tucked between two mountain ranges.

The Ranches is the hilly section of Eagle Mountain and City Center is situated in a relatively flatter area, so weather between these differing parts of the community can vary at times.

The City has two advanced weather stations through a partnership with Utah State University. One is located near Pony Express Memorial Park in City Center and the other has been placed at the Nolen Park annex in The Ranches.

These two stations provide real-time and historical data, which includes:  

Current temperature
Wind speed and direction
Precipitation today and historical
Dew point
Humidity
Solar Radiation

It may have been noticed that, despite the ongoing drought, Eagle Mountain received a fair amount of precipitation this past summer in June, July and August.

This precipitation in no way alleviates the state of Utah’s historic drought situation. It was, however, helpful in keeping local lawns green, and vegetables and flowers thriving. These changes were noticed alongside efforts to conserve water in Eagle Mountain by irrigating lawns with reduced frequency.

Data gathered from the two weather stations for this past summer show how Eagle Mountain fared:

Ranches

June 1 – Aug. 31
Precipitation: 3.14”
Highest wind speed: 7/17 28.4 mph
Highest temperature: 7/9 98.2° 

City Center

June 1 – Aug. 31
Precipitation: 3.48”
Highest wind speed: 7/19 39.2 mph
Highest temperature: 7/17 100.7°

Residents can easily find this data by accessing the two Eagle Mountain Weather Station links on the City website. Keeping track of this data might be a fun activity for families to engage in during each of the four seasons here in Eagle Mountain.  

Wildlife Expert: Resident involvement key to protecting native species

Eagle Mountain is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. Though the city is rapidly developing, there are many proposals designed to conserve and protect the Cedar Valley’s native species.

Shon Reed, local wildlife expert, explains how land development can affect wildlife populations if no preventative action is taken.

“The biggest and most obvious is a reduction in available land use,” says Reed. “The mule deer migrate with a line of sight. If they see a path they want to go, they head that direction. Now if there’s a school in the way, a shopping center, their path is cut off and they have to find a new way.”

In addition, interrupting migratory patterns, land development can also harm the strength of wildlife populations.

“It’s not just a matter of moving elsewhere, their numbers are actually declining,” says Reed. “They’re losing nesting sites, they’re losing usable habitat, and there’s some thought that they’re also lost to pesticides, herbicides, rodenticides – secondary poisoning.”

There are ways to help the health of local wildlife as land in Eagle Mountain is developed.

“The biggest thing is just to get involved,” says Reed.

iNaturalist, an online community for individuals interested in biodiversity, is a great and easy way to contribute, according to Reed. Users can snap a picture of a plant or animal, tag a location and record the sighting.

“From that, we can start to base line what animals are being found, where they’re being found, in what numbers, and what time of year,” says Reed.

iNaturalist is available on desktop web browsers and as an app on most smartphones.

Residents may be uncertain which species of plant or animal being observed. The app can also help with species identification.

“It’s a citizen science, a very community-driven program,” says Reed.

Residents who are looking for more boots-on-the-ground-type of volunteer opportunities can get involved with the Nature and Wildlife Alliance in Eagle Mountain, according to Reed.

“As cheatgrass, fires, development, and land misuse have destroyed native habitats, we’ve tried to restore that as much as we can,” says Reed.

Residents can also help by planting native species in their own yards. Reed encourages people to avoid herbicides and rodenticides as much as possible because of their harmful effects on the environment.

“Pretty much everybody carries a camera in their pocket,” says Reed. “Snapping photos of local wildlife and then posting these to our local social media pages. Just snap a photo and post it. Anytime we build community interest, it goes a long way.”

There are countless more opportunities for residents to get involved in helping local wildlife populations. There is something for everyone.

For more information on volunteer opportunities in Eagle Mountain, contact the Eagle Mountain Nature and Wildlife Alliance.

Eagle Mountain sees water savings year-over-year

Fall temperatures have begun after a summer of successful water conservation.

Eagle Mountain this year has reported relatively strong conservation numbers. The community saw a 12.46% decrease in water usage over the same period in 2021 (2nd quarter – April through June) and expect that the following quarter (July through September 2022) will show similar results when that information becomes available.

Eagle Mountain residents have frequently wondered about the status of the Cedar Valley’s aquifers — permeable rock that contains groundwater beneath the valley floor.

According to Jordan Nielson, Eagle Mountain City Water Conservation and Quality Control Specialist, the City draws water from not just one aquifer, but multiple.  

“At each of our source locations there is specific instrumentation that measures the aquifer level from which that particular source is drawn,” says Nielson. “Nothing from those measurements would indicate that we will not have adequate aquifer levels well into the future even with population growth and during periods of extended drought.

Nielsen says those levels are remotely viewable by water department employees at any time and constantly recorded by our City’s SCADA (Supervisory Control and Date Acquisition) system.

According to the Utah Geological Survey, about 90% of the content of our local aquifers emanates from precipitation in the nearby Oquirrh Mountain Range west of the Cedar Valley. That water subsequently flows underground in an easterly direction under the valley.

This has been happening for thousands of years before the current population of Eagle Mountain came on the scene. Additionally, local precipitation, unused irrigation water and other water sources eventually work their way into the aquifer system.

Eagle Mountain City’s data reveals that 75% of the water used is supplied by these aquifers and the other 25% is supplied by the Central Utah Water Conservancy District.

City Public Utilities Manager Mack Straw says he’s grateful for the effort during the summer months.

“We would like to thank the residents of Eagle Mountain for their conservation efforts.”

Eagle Mountain City experienced several downed water wells during the summer months that required time and resources to fix. Resident’s conservation efforts were critical when balancing water availability while repairs were being made.

Since new development and higher population increases water usage, the City requires developers to turn over the water rights for their property and pay infrastructure costs in the form of impact fees for extracting that water. This allows the Water Department the ability to extract more ground water for City use as needs arise.

Though Eagle Mountain is in a relatively good position water-wise, the City encourages residents to continue their conservation practices. This way Eagle Mountain can be confident that water needs are sustainable.

Transportation Master Plan projects city’s future traffic needs

In just under a decade, the population of Eagle Mountain grew by 75% – or more than 16,000 people.

It continues to grow every year. By 2060, Eagle Mountain is projected to expand to a population of over 150,000.

To keep up with the growth, Eagle Mountain City has developed a Transportation Master Plan. This plan will help implement an efficient and seamless roadway system throughout the city as it continues to expand.

The Transportation Master Plan provides insights and analysis for the next 10 years. Up until 2050, the plan will help determine which projects should be prioritized to most efficiently grow the community’s roadway network.

Chris Trusty, city engineer, explained how the Transportation Master Plan will help resolve traffic congestion issues.

“We work with a consultant so we can identify where best to locate roads and what sort of classification to help keep traffic flowing,” said Trusty. “Based on densities that we have throughout the city, we try to identify how big the roads need to be to get people where they need to go.”

The Transportation Master Plan analyzes city roadways and assigns each road a grade for traffic flow. In their current state, most city roadways operate at an acceptable level. Based on projected population growth, 14 of the city’s major roads will be at an unacceptable level by 2050 if no action is taken to expand their capacity.

“It’s a safety issue as well as a practical one,” said Mayor Tom Westmoreland. “We need to keep traffic flowing where it needs to go and do it in a safe, timely manner.”

While the Transportation Master Plan is a long-term comprehensive plan, City engineers are developing detailed plans for near-term projects as well.

“We take that [Transportation Master Plan] and we look at a six-year window and what projects need to be done within those six years,” said Trusty.

Trusty would like to assure Eagle Mountain residents that the Engineering department is aware of the growth the community is experiencing. That the Transportation Master Plan will help the city keep up with that growth.

“It is at the heart of life,” said Westmoreland. “Everything relies on transportation, whether you’re going to work or the store, or promoting a business.”

“And,” the Mayor added, “no one likes being stuck in traffic.”

At a public hearing on the Transportation Master Plan on Tuesday, Sept. 20, City Council voted to table the Transportation Master plan for a later date.

Read more for a more comprehensive overview of the Eagle Mountain Transportation Master Plan. 

EM anticipates Old Airport Rd extension following project funding

A project designed to increase infrastructure and improve access for residents and businesses is anticipated to begin in the next year or so.

Earlier this year, Eagle Mountain City pursued, and received funding for, the extension of Old Airport Road to SR-73. The project, once completed, is designed to act as another east-west arterial road and will alleviate traffic volumes on existing roadways.

Bryce McRae, engineer in training with Eagle Mountain City, says the project has been in the works since before his time in his current position.

“Like with any project, there’s a lot of coordination that needs to be done … so it has been in the works for a while,” says McRae.

Currently, Old Airport Road runs perpendicular from Pony Express Pkwy into the Overland subdivision and development, ending its service well before connection with SR-73.  

McRae says plans have been developed for a specific route that will complete the roadway.

“Eventually Airport Road, as it’s designed, is going to punch from where it is currently, wrap around, continue north, and will ultimately tie into SR-73 up at the north” McRae says.

The expansion is anticipated to save motorists several minutes of driving time and will allow easier access in and out of Eagle Mountain.

“It’s going to allow for more east-west access and help with the north-south access in town as well,” says McRae.

Residents can expect to shorten their drive time to northern Utah and Salt Lake counties by several minutes by avoiding Pony Express Pkwy once the extension has been completed.

As Eagle Mountain’s population grows, the extension of Old Airport Rd is designed to accommodate an influx of residents and business activity.

McRae says that the extension is part of the City’s larger Transportation Master Plan  

“It has been part of the design,” says McRae.

In addition to providing easier access to City Center, the Old Airport Rd. extension will also allow for greater residential and economic development in the area.

While the project is an exciting development for Eagle Mountain, McRae says that this is a future project, and a specific date has not been set for construction to begin.

The City’s Engineering Department, however, is hopeful to move forward with the extension plans in 2023.

Photo of the Glass Recycling drop-off dumpster in Cory Wride Park.

Glass recycling drop-off available in Cory Wride Park

In late July, in coordination with Momentum Recycling, Eagle Mountain City unveiled a new glass recycling drop-off center in Cory Wride Park.

If you’ve recently driven past the park, you may have noticed the new dumpster ­– it’s rather hard to miss. It’s painted with vibrant hues of blue, orange, and yellow, with silhouettes depicting various outdoor activities home to Eagle Mountain, courtesy of local artist Bill Louis (@biltslouisart).

Evan Berrett, Management Analyst for Eagle Mountain City, spoke about how the location of the glass recycling dumpster was carefully selected.

“We wanted it to be highly visible, so we wanted it to be somewhere where people would not forget about the fact that we have recycling…a constant reminder to them to recycle their glass.”

In addition to serving as a reminder to Eagle Mountain residents to recycle, the dumpster also provides beautiful art for the public to enjoy.

“Because it has a mural on it, it’s a public art piece now,” said Berrett. “We wanted to make sure that got plenty of visibility, not just for the sake of the artist, but so that we could have something to beautify or bring something unique to the city. We don’t want to hide that away.”

The mural on the dumpster also represents what we protect when we recycle: wildlife, landscape, and outdoor recreation.

The recycling drop-off was made possible in coordination with Momentum Recycling, the only major glass recycling center in Utah.

The dumpster at Cory Wride Memorial Park is the latest of over 50 drop-off centers located all along the Wasatch Front provided by Momentum Recycling. Berrett, who was instrumental in bringing the drop-off center to the city, has visited the recycling center in Salt Lake City.

“A question a lot of people have right now, as far as recycling in general goes, is ‘is my recycling actually being recycled, or is it just going to a landfill?’”

Though he can’t speak to the story of cardboard, plastic, or other types of recycling facilities, Berrett says, “The glass recycling is one thing that we can for certain say that, yes, it is being recycled. And not only is it being recycled, but it’s being recycled into materials that we need here in Utah.”

Glass that is processed by Momentum Recycling is recycled into materials for sand-blasting or into fiberglass insulation for homes. “With how many homes are being built in Utah, there’s definitely a huge demand for that,” says Berrett.

In order to recycle responsibly, it’s important to be aware of what materials can and cannot be recycled through the drop-off center. The following materials cannot be recycled at Momentum Recycling and should not be placed in the dumpster:

  • Automotive Glass (i.e. windshields)
  • Ceramics (i.e. plates & dishes)
  • Light Bulbs
  • Mirrors
  • Porcelain (i.e. plates & dishes)
  • Pyrex
  • Paper
  • Cardboard
  • Plastic (including plastic trash bags)

Berrett considers the drop-off center a big win for Eagle Mountain City and encourages all Eagle Mountain residents to use the drop-off center as frequently as possible.

Recycling glass is the easiest and most rewarding form of recycling, and provides each of us an opportunity to protect our planet and the natural resources we enjoy in Eagle Mountain.

For a comprehensive list of where to recycle items Momentum Recycling does not accept, visit the Momentum Recycling Website.

Traffic safety, proper reporting channels encouraged in EM

Eagle Mountain City is encouraging residents to stay mindful of traffic safety during the remainder of the summer months.

According to data, the period between Memorial Day and Labor day account for the 100 deadliest days on Utah roads. Year-to-date data indicate that 169 fatalities have occurred on Utah roads as of July 18.

Trends in traffic safety also indicate that impaired driving is increasing in the Beehive State and, according to the Utah Highway Patrol, nearly 3,500 citations have been issued for motorists traveling over 100 mph.

Eagle Mountain City works with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office Eagle Mountain division to provide traffic enforcement within city limits.

Keeping Eagle Mountain’s roads safe require motorists to take several steps. First, the City is asking residents to be considerate of speed limits, other motorists and where they are parking in designated lots or on City or neighborhood streets.

Further, the City is encouraging awareness of others on the road, including the possibility of ATVs and UTVs on City streets. Finally, residents are encouraged to report traffic safety issues to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office Eagle Mountain division and utilize the assistance of the City’s Neighborhood Improvement department for any parking-related issues.

Keeping Eagle Mountain’s roads safe is a top priority for the City. Motorists can help improve safety for themselves, their families and their neighbors by following these simple steps.

New City events page adds convenience for residents

Eagle Mountain City has added new features and additional information for the events it hosts throughout the year to its website.

The newly revised events page allows residents to retrieve better information for major events such as Pony Express Days, Christmas Village, or the Turkey Trot. It also increases convenience by allowing residents to add events to their calendar and obtain directions to the event.

Vendors are also encouraged to watch this page for relevant sign-up information and use the page as a reference for planning services throughout the year.

Residents can take advantage of any of these free community events throughout the year.  

EM wildlife biologist weighs conservation in development decisions

Eagle Mountain City announced its plans to hire a Wildlife Biologist and Environmental Planner in March.

The City, in cooperation with local wildlife advocates, is placing greater emphasis on the conservation of open spaces and the protection of wildlife. This new position is unique in the state of Utah and is designed to help facilitate dialogue with concerned community members while guiding the City in its development and decision-making process.

Todd Black, who was recently announced as the City’s hire for the position, brings many years of experience in wildlife research. Black has worked in outreach and education through Utah State University and has previously worked alongside private landowners and large corporations.

“As far as I know, this is the first time ever I’ve heard of a municipality hiring a wildlife biologist,” said Black.

Many residents have expressed an interest in the protection of wildlife in Eagle Mountain. As a result, the City will utilize this new position to advise around code enforcement, planning and development, and potential City Code amendments in future years.

Already, Eagle Mountain has made strides in the areas of conservation and development. The City was the first in the state of Utah to create a Wildlife Corridor Overlay Zone. This type of zoning allows for the protection of elk, pronghorn and mule deer migration patters through the Cedar Valley and acts in cooperation with private landowners to better consider the needs of these species.

“I think having somebody like myself in this position will help look at it from a new set of eyes,” said Black.

Eagle Mountain City continues to consider the possibility of an advisory group of residents to help advise the City in conservation matters. Please be sure to check out our Wildlife and Conservation web page to learn more about conservation in Eagle Mountain.