In the wake of public backlash over the proposed massive Stratos Project data center in Box Elder County, transparency is the new buzzword. The latest move came from Gov. Spencer Cox, who announced a new data center framework.
His executive order is not just about the environment. Along with protecting water and air, it’s designed to support rural Utah’s economic growth, prevent rate hikes for utility customers and promote the governor’s pro-human approach to artificial intelligence.
Cox acknowledges that “Utahns have expressed legitimate concerns regarding the potential impacts of large data centers on water resources, air quality, utility rates, local communities, and quality of life.”
Opponents worry that the future data center and power plant, which could produce up to 9 gigawatts of energy at full capacity, would affect the area’s water supply, air quality, noise and natural landscape.
Cox’s order also calls for transparency and “thorough opportunities for public comments.”
When the Box Elder County Commission ultimately greenlit the project at a May 4 meeting, public comment wasn’t allowed. The commission said the time for public comment had passed, but many said they were unaware of the project at that time.
Cox told reporters earlier in May that his office and the Legislature should be more involved in decisions around large data centers. “I seek to do better,” the governor said after softening his past criticism of data center opponents, and he recognized that the process by which the Box Elder project was announced was “not good.”
In another move for transparency, the Utah Office of the State Auditor launched a new dashboard to show the finances and projects under the Military Installation Development Authority, the state entity backing the Box Elder project. The dashboard came after the auditor’s office received many requests about the agency.
Read Gov. Spencer Cox’s executive order:
