Governor Cox issues executive order on Utah data centers

SALT LAKE CITY — Gov. Spencer Cox signed an executive order May 29 establishing a new state­wide framework for future large-scale data center development in Utah.

An electrical substation sits in Utah’s arid desert landscape. Gov. Spencer Cox signed an executive order May 29 establishing new statewide principles for future large-scale data center development, including review of water and infrastructure impacts. Photo by Nicholas Klein.

According to the order, state agencies reviewing fu­ture projects are directed to consider factors including long-term water availabili­ty, electrical infrastructure capacity, air quality, public transparency and potential impacts on surrounding communities.

The executive order fol­lows public opposition to the proposed Stratos data center project in Box Elder County and establishes statewide criteria for evalu­ating future large-scale facilities.

Among the areas identi­fied in the order are en­vironmental protections involving water resources, air quality and wildlife im­pacts; protection of utility ratepayers from excessive infrastructure costs; and opportunities for public comment and community engagement during project review.

The order states Utah should support economic growth while also protect­ing natural resources and maintaining reliable util­ity systems as demand for large-scale computing infrastructure continues to grow.

Data centers are facilities that house large numbers of computer servers support­ing internet services, cloud computing and artificial intelligence systems. Mod­ern facilities can require substantial amounts of electricity and water for cooling and operations.

Water availability and infrastructure capacity remain ongoing concerns across southern Utah, where communities rou­tinely balance growth and development against lim­ited water supplies and rural utility systems.

Cox said in a statement accompanying the order that Utah should remain open to technology invest­ment while emphasizing long-term planning and responsible resource man­agement.

The executive order took effect immediately and ap­plies to future state review and coordination involving major data center proposals in Utah.

While no comparable project has been publicly proposed in Kane County, the order establishes state­wide expectations that could influence how future large-scale technology and infrastructure projects are evaluated across Utah.