TL;DRUtah’s governor issued an executive order setting new standards for data centres after a 9 GW project backed by Kevin O’Leary sparked protests.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed an executive order on Friday establishing a “higher bar for data center development” in the state. The order is effective immediately. It follows months of community outrage over the Stratos Project, a 40,000-acre hyperscale data centre campus backed by “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary that could reach 9 gigawatts of power at full buildout.
The framework contains eight principles addressing water resources, air quality, wildlife protection, utility rate impacts, and public comment requirements. “Utahns deserve confidence that water resources, air quality, utility rates, wildlife, and quality of life will be protected,” Cox wrote on X.
The executive order directs state agencies to adopt the framework. It also requires the Stratos developers to use a phased approach, applying for new permits at every planned expansion. The project cannot proceed as a single blanket approval.
The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!Box Elder County commissioners approved the Stratos Project despite significant community opposition. Residents crowded council meetings, circulated petitions, and recently protested outside the Utah State Capitol. More than 2,000 questions and concerns were submitted, containing “a mix of supportive and critical feedback,” according to the project’s webpage.
