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County adopts interlocal agreement with Midas, citing water and operational safeguards
Summary
Box Elder County commissioners approved an interlocal agreement with Midas that includes limits on county obligations, closed‑loop cooling, dark‑sky commitments and developer payments; county and outside counsel emphasized permits and water protections remain subject to state review.
Box Elder County commissioners voted to adopt an interlocal agreement with Midas (the Stratus project developer) that the county says places explicit limits on what it must provide and establishes environmental and operational guardrails.
Adam Long, an attorney with the law firm Smith Harvickson, told the commission the agreement limits county obligations to municipal‑type services and places restrictions on the project area. "No residential development, any data center cooling must be a closed loop system," Long said, and the agreement also includes dark‑sky compliance and noise limits at the project boundary. Long said the master developer has committed to three upfront payments of $5,400,000 each and estimates roughly $30,000,000 in annual revenue to the county in phase one and about $108,000,000 at full build‑out.
Annie Hansen, representing county legal staff, explained that adopting the interlocal agreement does not itself authorize construction; it records negotiated protections that both the county and Midas would abide by if the project moves forward. County and outside counsel emphasized that state permitting — including air and water approvals described during the meeting — remains necessary and public processes apply.
Commissioner Perry moved to approve resolution 26‑12 (which adopts interlocal agreement 26‑15); Commissioner Bingham seconded the motion. The commission approved the resolution by voice vote. The transcript does not record a roll‑call tally.
