Utah’s Governor Spencer Cox issued an executive order in May aimed at enhancing the evaluation framework for data center developments in the state. This initiative emphasizes transparency, protecting ratepayers, managing water use, and reducing environmental impacts. The directive also called for a review of a state agency involved in a controversial data center project, the Stratos Project, a large-scale AI data center campus backed by investor Kevin O’Leary.
Governor Cox, previously a supporter of the Stratos Project, expressed frustration about the lengthy decision-making processes in the country, stating that public feedback should lead to prompt action. However, following public outcry regarding water issues related to the Great Salt Lake, he acknowledged that he should have been more attentive to these concerns from the start. In June, he stated that public opinion played a significant role in prompting his executive order.
