John,

Last week, despite overwhelming public opposition, Box Elder County commissioners approved “Project Stratos,” the largest proposed data center in the world, here in northern Utah. Residents packed hearings, raised concerns about air quality, water use, energy demand, transparency, and long-term impacts on their communities, and are now fighting back through the newly launched Box Elder Accountability Referendum (B.E.A.R.) effort.

The proposed data center would have a massive impact on Utah’s environment. Preliminary studies have estimated the project would increase air pollution by up to 60%, use as much energy as the entire state of Utah, and could increase nighttime temperatures by up to 9 degrees. It's clear that Utah’s fragile ecosystem, shrinking Great Salt Lake, and existing air pollution challenges cannot support a project of this scale.

We're helping lead organizing efforts alongside local residents and coalition partners by supporting signature gathering, volunteer coordination, outreach, and statewide mobilization. Because approval for this project moved so fast, there are still far too many unanswered questions around water, power demand, long-term public costs, and transparency. And people across Utah are realizing something important: Local communities should not be left holding the risk while billionaire-backed interests take the upside.

The reason we have been able to pivot so quickly to lead this charge is because monthly members sustain this work year-round. Membership support gives us the flexibility to swiftly respond when moments like this happen.

Right now, our goal is to raise $25,000 and to recruit 40 new monthly members by June 5th so we can continue supporting this organizing effort and strengthen Utah’s ability to respond to fights like this moving forward. For each new monthly donation, we will count the full year’s value of your gift to our $25k goal. If you’ve been asking yourself what role you can play in this moment, becoming a member is one powerful way to help sustain the movement.

Membership starts with a monthly gift of any size. Even $5 or $10 a month helps sustain this work year-round and gives us the stability to organize, advocate, and respond quickly. In addition to putting your stamp on a grassroots effort to combat special interests, members also receive:

If you’ve been looking for an effective, long-term way to make an impact on huge issues like this data center, becoming a member is a powerful tool to create and sustain positive change.

Thanks for being part of the Stew Crew!

Onward!