Heavy-Duty Trucking Legislation Preview

Did you know? Heavy-duty diesel trucks produce more than 30% of Utah’s vehicle emissions but account for only 7.5% of the vehicle miles traveled.

This is just one of the many issues O₂ Utah will address during the 2024 legislative session.

All of our legislative work falls under the Prosperity 2030 umbrella — our framework to reduce emissions by 50% along the Wasatch Front by 2030 by addressing emissions from industrial point sources, homes and buildings, and transportation.

And after an exceedingly successful 2023 session that saw the passage of HB 220, we are eager to keep the momentum going.

Click here to learn more about how heavy-duty trucks affect Utah’s air quality and our plan to address it.

Primary Election Update

Thank you to everyone who voted in this year’s municipal primary election and participated in the campaign process. The municipal cycle is crucial for electing our local climate leaders and advancing policies to achieve 100% renewable energy and ensure positive environmental outcomes.

And a special thank you to all of our amazing volunteers and supporters for their hard work canvassing, texting, and making phone calls to encourage their fellow citizens to vote.

Unfortunately, Angel Castillo will not be moving on in the Ogden Mayoral race. We know Angel will continue to be a strong advocate for Ogden’s environmental future.

Sustaining Donor Monthly Giveaway

O₂ Utah sustaining donors make a monthly commitment to us, and now, we are making a monthly commitment to you.

Each month, we'll reward a sustaining donor with a gift card, swag item, or unique experience from a partner organization.

This month's prize is a Patagonia Black Hole Cube and O₂ Utah t-shirt and stickers!

Sustaining donors like you are the lifeblood of our fundraising efforts, allowing us to participate in elections and advocate for bold air quality legislation.

Donate today and toggle that 'Make it monthly!' button to help clean our air and be automatically entered to win each month!

In The News

Guest opinion: CREP gives Ogden a real choice vs. energy monopoly

O₂ Utah's communications director, Eli Davis, submitted a letter to the editor of Ogden's Standard-Examiner to lay out the facts, and benefits, of the Community Renewable Energy Program (CREP).

What is CREP? Also known as HB 411, it's the pathway for Utah communities to work with Rocky Mountain Power to achieve net-100% renewable energy.

Click here to learn more about CREP and how it can set up Ogden for a future of clean energy and clean air.

Utah settles with U.S. Magnesium over years of environmental violations

U.S. Magnesium agreed to a $430,900 settlement with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality — a slap on the wrist for a company responsible for increasing our winter-time inversion up to 25%.

O₂ Utah's policy director, Eliza Cowie, spoke with Fox13’s Ben Winslow:

"They could have faced penalties in the millions. That’s not even compared to the $2 billion our economy loses every year because of poor air quality. To have a couple hundred thousand dollars with a payment plan quarterly? They’re not facing the extent of what they put into our airshed."

"This should be a deterrent. I don't think this is even close to a deterrent," Utah Air Quality Board Member Kevin Cromar told Fox13. "If they knew at outset this would be the settlement amount? They'd make this decision 100 times out of 100 and do the same thing."

Knuth discusses priorities as Ogden mayoral campaign enters next phase

O₂ Utah's executive director, David Garbett, joined Ogden mayoral hopeful and O₂ Utah-endorsed candidate, Taylor Knuth, at a press conference to celebrate his primary election win and emphasize policy priorities.

David highlighted Taylor’s commitment to the Community Renewable Energy Program, making him the best environmental choice for Ogden.

“We’re at a critical time for this program,” David said. “We need Ogden to be a leader. This is the key vote to make that happen. The success of this program is dependent on having people like Taylor in office. The rewards are huge. And like we’ve heard, Taylor wants to take the time and build the coalition so that no one in Ogden feels left behind.”

O₂ Utah is an environmental nonprofit whose mission is to clean our state's air and eliminate our contributions to climate change through elections and policy. Donate Today to support our work and clean Utah's air.