2024 Endorsements

Utah is heading into a pivotal election cycle with every state house seat, half of the senate seats, and some key county council and school board races up for grabs.

The O₂ Utah team has already started our rigorous endorsement process and publicly endorsed our first batch of candidates! 

Before making an endorsement, our staff interviews each candidate to learn more about their campaign plan, environmental policy goals, and what makes them the best fit as a climate champion. We then decide as a team who to endorse and strategize on how to best support their campaign.

O₂ Utah is proud to endorse Deondra Brown (Salt Lake County Council At-Large), Zach Robinson (Salt Lake County Council, D6), Ross Romero (Salt Lake County Council, D4), Patrick Belmont (House District 3), Jessica Wignall (House District 39), Tyler Clancy (House District 60), Andrew Stoddard (House District 40), Joel Briscoe (House District 24), and Jeff Howell (House District 23). 

Our team will continue to conduct interviews and endorse more candidates in the coming weeks! Be on the lookout for volunteer opportunities to help support these great candidates. 

Legislative Session Recap: The Positive Environmental Outlook

First off, we want to take accountability: we did not pass any of our proposed legislation during the 2024 session. 

To reach our legislative goals, we need to change how the state deals with major sources of pollution. Any new or long-time observer of the Utah Legislature knows that it's generally not the friendliest venue for bold action on these issues. 

We know that, too. That's why the O₂ Utah model includes working in elections, developing bi-partisan support, and reframing these topics with specific policy proposals. Going forward, we expect this model to perform better than it did this year.

However, this legislative session was not a complete bust. We want to highlight some of the climate wins from the session and how those bills can advance air quality.

Staff Updates

​​Speaking of the policy team, we are excited to officially introduce Piper Christian, our new policy associate. Piper joined the team last month and dove headfirst into the session.

Piper graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in environmental studies and brings a robust understanding of Utah's legislative landscape, specifically related to air quality and Great Salt Lake issues.

With Piper's arrival comes a tough goodbye as our policy director, Eliza Cowie, has moved on from O₂ Utah to pursue new opportunities.

Eliza's knack for building relationships at the Capitol and bridging gaps to advocate for complex climate policies has been invaluable to O₂ Utah's success and our state's environmental landscape as a whole.

Our team will miss her infectious personality and positive outlook, but we're excited to follow her next steps!

We’re Hiring: Great Salt Lake Policy Associate

Sticking with the policy team theme, we’re hiring for a new position: Great Salt Lake Policy Associate.

This role will work to prevent the loss of the Great Salt Lake by enacting legislation to raise lake levels, clean our state's air, and prevent ecosystem collapse. 

Candidates should have a deep understanding of the unique challenges facing the Great Salt Lake —  the lake's effects on air quality, meteorology, and ecosystems — and the political dynamics of Utah.

Great Salt Lake Community Clean Up

Join us and Mark Miller Subaru on Saturday, April 13, from 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. for a Great Salt Lake Community Clean Up!

We'll meet at the Lee Creek Natural Area, help clean up the shoreline, and learn more about the GSL's impact on our air quality from an industry professional.

We'll provide all the materials needed for the clean up — just be dressed for the weather with clothes and shoes that can get dirty.

Stick around after for lunch provided by Mark Miller Subaru! Please RSVP below so MMS knows how many lunches to have.

We can’t wait to see you there and give back during Earth Month! 

The O₂ Utah Foundation is honored to be Mark Miller Subaru's Loves the Earth nonprofit partner this year. MMS's Love Promise program partners with nonprofits across a variety of industries to give back to the community and share the love!

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.