Box Elder County official faced death threats amid contentious data center debate

Box Elder County Commissioner Lee Perry, along with fellow Commissioners Boyd Bingham and Tyler Vincent, has faced a week of stress, including death threats and false accusations, following their approval of two resolutions for the controversial Stratos Project Area data center project. Perry stated he has been physically ill trying to reconcile the decision in the best interest of Box Elder County residents, and police officers are now stationed outside his home due to the intense backlash. The project, which includes data centers and up to 9 gigawatts of power-producing capacity on 40,000 acres, has sparked demonstrations and strong opposition over potential environmental impacts, especially concerning water availability and the Great Salt Lake. Despite these concerns, Perry defended the commissioners' actions, explaining that county officials have limited oversight on private, unzoned property with purchased water rights, and that state agencies like the Utah Department of Environmental Quality are primarily responsible for air and water quality compliance. He added that had the county rejected the resolutions, developer Kevin O'Leary and O'Leary Digital could have pursued the project independently on unzoned land, potentially without the oversight now provided by the Utah Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA), which will partner with O'Leary Digital. Kevin O'Leary, for his part, expressed disdain for protesters, claiming that over 90% are from outside Utah and are paid, though he provided no evidence. Perry acknowledged receiving messages from outside Box Elder County but maintained that all Utahns have a right to speak on water and air issues, directing them to state environmental authorities.