Box Elder County officials threatened after approval of massive AI data center

Box Elder County Commissioner Lee Perry reported receiving threats against himself, his family, and other commissioners following their vote to approve the Stratus data center project. Police officers have been stationed outside his home due to the threats, which also affected county employees. Perry emphasized the difficulty of the decision, stating that the county's ability to block the project was limited as it was on private, unzoned land, effectively tying their hands. The controversial project, backed by businessman Kevin O'Leary, has faced significant public backlash and protests. O'Leary controversially claimed on social media, without evidence, that over 90% of the protesters were not local residents and were being "busted in." However, Commissioner Perry countered that he had reviewed thousands of public comments, many from Utah residents and surrounding areas, as well as some from farther away, expressing concerns about water and air quality. Despite these widespread environmental concerns, particularly regarding water availability and its impact on the Great Salt Lake, the commissioners felt they had to approve the project. Perry stated that as public servants, they are not "kings" or "dictators" and must uphold the law, which limited their power to prevent development on unzoned private land.