O’Leary Digital Utah Development has released drawings of its proposed “Wonder Valley” data center project in Box Elder County, including this administration building at one of six data center “clusters” envisioned for the site. Gov. Spencer Cox recently issued an executive order aimed at reining in such developments. (Courtesy O’Leary Digital Ltd.)
Published in the June 8, 2026 newspaper.
Faced with deepening statewide concern over the proposed construction of a massive data center complex in Box Elder County — along with blowback over data centers in general — Gov. Spencer Cox has issued an executive order hoping to assuage public worries.
The order, which went into effect with its issuance, was not specific to the Stratos Project that spawned the current uproar, but to data center development of any kind.
“Utahns deserve confidence that water resources, air quality, utility rates, wildlife and quality of life will be protected,” Cox said in a post on X. “This framework helps ensure that data center development aligns with Utah’s interests and reflects Utah values.”/
The Stratos Project, dubbed “Wonder Valley” by developer and TV personality Kevin O’Leary of ABC-TV’s “Shark Tank,” is a joint development between Utah’s Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) — which approved the deal with a series of resolutions in April — and O’Leary’s Digital Utah Development Co. Slated for a 40,000-acre unincorporated tract in western Box Elder County, announcement of the project raised immediate concerns over water usage and environmental impact. Of particular concern is the net impact on water flow into an already distressed Great Salt Lake.
Cox’s order, titled “Establishing a Higher Bar for Data Center Development in Utah,” directs state agencies like the Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Natural Resources to adhere to a broad policy framework that promotes job growth in rural areas, keeps utility bills down, protects air quality, mitigates wildlife impacts, supports transparency in public dialog and ensures usage of water destined for the lake does not increase. Data center development must also align with Utah’s “long-term interests,” according to the document’s tenets.
Agencies that will have involvement in data center development are instructed to coordinate closely with one another, local governments and policymakers to ensure consistent implementation of the framework of the order and continued public engagement as proposals move through review processes.
“Utahns have raised important questions about the impact large data centers could have on water, air quality, utility rates and quality of life,” said Cox in a statement released by his office. “Those concerns deserve to be taken seriously. This executive order establishes a higher bar for how these projects are evaluated and ensures that economic strength and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.”
Cox’s action in issuing the edict seemingly signals a softening of his initial gung-ho support of the Stratos Project. In an early-May statement, as details about the project began to emerge publicly, he praised the project for supporting national security in addition to economic development. Project supporters described Stratos as infrastructure that could support AI, cloud computing and defense operations. Cox’s statement echoed those sentiments.
Following the release of his executive order, Cox said, “The public has raised concerns that some of us didn’t think about and that are important.”
Cox admitted his order could delay the Stratos Project and suggested he may call a special legislative session this fall to address state law surrounding data centers.
The governor issued his executive order at a roundtable discussion about the perils of the Great Salt Lake at the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Wildlife Education Center in Farmington Bay. Present were business leaders, state officials and members of the state’s congressional delegation. He stressed the emphasis put on the lake by his data center order.
“The Great Salt Lake is one of Utah’s greatest treasures and one of our most important responsibilities,” said Cox. “The progress we’ve made over the past several years shows what’s possible when state leaders, local communities, researchers, conservation groups and federal partners work together. We have more work to do, but I’m encouraged by the momentum we’re seeing and the growing commitment to the
lake’s future.”
