Gov. Cox stresses efforts to protect Great Salt Lake amid data center debate

After a week of intense debate regarding data center development plans in Box Elder County, Utah Governor Spencer Cox intervened to address public concerns, particularly about the protection of the Great Salt Lake. Residents have expressed worries over the potential impact on water usage, noise, and emissions from these projects, stating a lack of trust in state leaders and developers, citing past unfulfilled promises by data centers across the country. Governor Cox, in a message shared on X, aimed to alleviate these fears. He stated that he is directing the Utah Department of Natural Resources to mandate the use of the most environmentally sensitive cooling technology for the project, ensuring the protection of both Utah's water resources and the Great Salt Lake. He further stipulated that all water used for the project must be publicly reported and, crucially, will not reduce the water flow to the Great Salt Lake. Additionally, the Governor requested that the project developer publish a publicly available water plan, verifiable by Utah DNR officials, to demonstrate that the data center will cause no degradation to the lake.