For business & developers
Site information, process overview, and what local approval typically requires.
What Tooele County offers
Land. Large contiguous parcels in industrial, commercial, and federal-adjacent zones. The county’s geography includes the Tooele Valley, Rush Valley, and the western desert, each with different characteristics for siting.
Power. Service primarily through Rocky Mountain Power, with additional capacity tied to state-level Operation Gigawatt investments. Specific availability varies by site and load size.
Water. Allocations and sourcing are project-specific. Tooele County is in an arid region, and water rights are actively managed. Early engagement with the Utah Division of Water Rights is recommended.
Fiber. Multiple long-haul fiber routes traverse the county, with proximity to the Salt Lake network backbone.
Transportation. I-80 east–west corridor, Union Pacific rail, and proximity to Salt Lake City International Airport.
Workforce. Tooele County has an established workforce in construction, defense, logistics, and industrial trades. Specialized data center operations staff are typically a combination of local hiring and transfers.
Federal proximity. Dugway Proving Ground, Tooele Army Depot, and Inland Port presence offer adjacency advantages for projects involving federal contracts or security requirements.
Permitting and approvals — what to expect
Tooele County’s review process for large industrial projects generally follows the sequence below. Actual timelines vary based on project complexity, completeness of application, and any required state-level permits.
- Pre-application meeting with the Tooele County Community Development Department
- Formal application submission
- Staff review and technical analysis
- Planning Commission hearing and recommendation
- County Council hearing and decision
- State and federal permits (air, water, building, FAA, NRC if applicable)
- Construction permits and inspections
- Certificate of occupancy and operations
Typical end-to-end timeline for a major project: 18 to 36 months, depending on scope and review requirements.
What the county expects
The community conversation around data centers has matured in Tooele County, and applicants should expect substantive questions in the following areas. Coming to public hearings with clear, sourced answers to these will shorten the process, not lengthen it.
- Water sourcing and projected daily use, including the cooling method
- Power demand, source, and any on-site generation, including emissions modeling
- Air-quality modeling at the nearest occupied receptors
- Noise modeling at the nearest residence, including low-frequency
- Lighting design, including dark-sky compliance
- Construction traffic plan and road-impact mitigation
- Fire response coordination with the local fire district and Tooele County Emergency Services
- Backup generation and energy storage plans, including fire safety
- Phasing plan and contingencies if phases are delayed or canceled
- Job and tax projections with clear methodology and ten-year horizons
- Community engagement plan beyond the legally required minimum
The full list of questions residents have been asking is here: Questions Worth Asking. Reviewing it before your first public meeting is recommended.
A proven framework
Loudoun County, Virginia — the largest data center market in the world — has published a practical set of best practices on sound, setback, appearance, power, water, and emissions. Most of its recommendations map directly onto what a complete Tooele County application should address. See Best Practices and Critical Issues.
Incentives
Utah and Tooele County offer several economic development incentive programs. Eligibility, value, and offsets are case-specific.
- State-level programs through the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), including the Economic Development Tax Increment Financing (EDTIF) program
- Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) project areas, where applicable
- Inland Port Authority programs for projects within port jurisdiction
- County-level incentives considered case-by-case
We provide factual summaries of each, not pitches. Applicants negotiate directly with the relevant agency.
Utilities and infrastructure contacts
| NEED | CONTACT |
|---|---|
| Electricity service and capacity | Rocky Mountain Power — large customer services |
| Water rights and allocation | Utah Division of Water Rights |
| Air permitting | Utah Division of Air Quality |
| Fiber and telecom | Multiple providers; list on request |
| Rail | Union Pacific |
| Roads and transportation | Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) |
| Fire and emergency services | Local fire district / Tooele County Emergency Services |
Workforce and training
The Tooele Technical College and Salt Lake Community College both offer programs relevant to construction, trades, and technical operations roles. Workforce Services can assist with hiring pipelines and incumbent worker training.
A note on community engagement
Public expectations around data center transparency have risen sharply across Utah and nationally. Projects that engage early, communicate clearly, and respond to specific questions in writing tend to move through review faster and with fewer surprises. We’re happy to advise on community engagement approaches that have worked elsewhere in the region.