The Utah State Legislature took some initial steps to begin regulating large-scale data centers in the state.
On Wednesday, the legislature's Economic Development & Workforce Services Interim Committee voted unanimously to open a bill file to define in Utah State Code exactly what a large-scale data center is.
"We have defined large data centers differently in different parts of code. That means it’s time for us to begin to pull together and developing a policy around defining what a large data center would be, what its function would be, and from there what are the appropriate policies," committee chair Sen. Ann Millner, R-Ogden, told FOX 13 News.
Celebrity investor Kevin O'Leary's plans for a massive data center in Box Elder County has sparked significant public uproar. Lawmakers FOX 13 News has spoken with have said they have definitely heard from constituents with concerns about environmental and quality of life impacts from the Stratos Project and other large data center projects planned 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.
