Rep. Doug Owens, D-Millcreek, successfully persuaded his colleagues on the Natural Resources Interim Committee to open a study on the impacts of data centers on wildlife, water and air.
It passed unanimously May 20.
"I'm not trying to bend us one way or another philosophically on the issue," Rep. Owens said, adding that he believes Utahns should see the impacts.
While some of his colleagues did not seem to believe data centers presented harms, they were supportive of a study to "get the facts."
"I welcome any of the facts around what data centers do and don’t do. I believe we’ve had a lot of speculation and things that may sway people’s opinions, but I’m not sure they’re rooted exactly in the facts," Sen. Scott Sandall, R-Tremonton, said. "That would be around water and water rights issues in the state."
Read Ben Winslow's full report at fox13now.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.
