UT Governor Apologizes For Being An Asshole When He Slammed Opponents Of Giant Data Center

[hatrack]

After deep criticism over Gov. Spencer Cox’s past comments chastising opponents of a massive data center proposed in northern Utah, the governor made new accountability and environmental promises for the development — and said he’ll aim to live up to “disagree better” standards. Thousands have actively protested the Stratos Project, a data center proposed on sites encompassing 40,000 acres of unincorporated Box Elder County land, arguing that the approval process led by the Military Installation Development Authority, or MIDA, has been too swift for its size.

Now, after fiercely defending the project during his last regular news conference broadcast by PBS Utah, Cox vowed on a thread on X to do better. “Utahns care deeply about our land, our water, our rural towns, and the future we leave to the next generation. Strong opinions are welcome. Healthy disagreement is part of good government,” Cox wrote. “But I know my own comments at a recent press conference did not meet the expectations I have for myself. I seek to do better.”

During the news conference in late April, Cox said the state had an obligation to allow building data centers, arguing it was a matter of national security as China advances in the artificial intelligence space. He also disputed that the approval process had been rushed. “I’m so tired of our country taking years to get stuff done. It’s the dumbest thing ever. We think that taking time makes things better or safer, it absolutely does not,” he said at the time. “You get a chance to give your feedback, and then decisions get made. That’s how we have to do stuff in this country and in this state.”

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While the project has been explicitly tied to the Ruby natural gas pipeline, and MIDA officials have said the power plant envisioned for the project is meant to be fueled only by natural gas, the developers have now committed to pursue other resources, including renewables, energy storage and nuclear generation in addition to natural gas. Phase one of the project will take less than 2,000 acres for the data center building, Cox said. Other operations, including the power plant and other infrastructure, can still be added during the initial stage. But, to add more to the data center building, the developer will need other approvals.

Ed. - blahblahblahblah committed to pursue other resources blahblah approvals blah

EDIT

https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2026/05/08/cox-seeks-to-to-better-after-heated-comments-on-box-elder-data-center/