Governor Cox Signs Executive Order Relating to Data Centers

In a swift response to mounting public outrage across the state, Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed Executive Order 2026-03 today, establishing a strict new statewide framework for mega data center developments. The executive order represents a massive, calculated pivot from the administration’s previously aggressive stance on rapid tech expansion. It mandates that state agencies prioritize protecting the ever-shrinking Great Salt Lake, safeguarding air and water quality, and insulating utility ratepayers from the costs of infrastructure.

The Stratos Spark

The catalyst for this sudden policy shift is the controversial "Stratos" project in northern Utah’s Box Elder County. Backed by celebrity billionaire investor Kevin O'Leary, the proposed 40,000-acre AI hyperscale facility sparked intense bipartisan backlash. Critics quickly pointed out that the facility’s projected nine-gigawatt power demand exceeds what the entire state of Utah currently consumes, all while threatening fragile desert water tables.

Change in Tone

While Governor Cox originally dismissed early pushback as unnecessary bureaucratic delay, the sheer volume of formal complaints, including nearly 4,000 letters protesting the project's water rights, forced a change in tone. "The public has brought up some concerns that some of us didn't think about that are important, and that matters," Cox acknowledged to reporters.

St. George Joins the Fight This Weekend

The data center anxiety is no longer confined to northern Utah. Demonstrations have rapidly spread across the state, and protests are scheduled this weekend right here in St. George. Local organizers and residents are gathering to show solidarity with the statewide resistance and demand that Southern Utah’s precious natural resources be legally protected from future digital colonization.

Read More: Washington County Commissioner Adam Snow on Preventing Data Centers Locally

Though local leaders have confirmed there are currently no active data center applications in Washington County, this weekend's protests highlight a unified community stance: Utah's natural environment must come before big tech's bottom line.