O₂ Utah Donor Spotlight

Hi there,

HB 220 has been signed into law! We are excited to share Gov. Cox signed the bill yesterday — it is officially official!

We view HB 220 as the most significant air quality bill in Utah in the last decade. It creates emission reduction standards, identifies halogens and their sources, and ultimately, saves lives.

HB 220 does not pass without your generous support through donating, volunteering, and all forms of activism — thank you!

With that, we are pleased to highlight March's Donor Spotlight, Patrice Powell. Patrice retired from Huntsman Cancer Hospital in June 2022 and now enjoys working part-time and spending time outdoors.

Let's get to know Patrice a bit more.

What do you love about Utah?

I have traveled, worked, or lived in several states during my lifetime. What I love about Utah are the seasons. I love a brisk fall morning, a gentle spring rain, how long it takes the sun to set in the summer, and the light, fluffy winter snow. And I love that all of my family lives in the state so I don’t have to travel for the holidays.

How does Utah's poor air quality affect you?

The air quality in Utah angers me. I didn’t pay attention to air quality as a teen in the mid 70’s but after a day of skiing in Little or Big Cottonwood canyon we would begin to see the valley floor and you couldn't help but notice the smog level that sat over the valley. Over the years it has increased and is not limited to winter. The smog is rising up the canyon. There are days I cannot see Lone Peak and it's less than 10 miles from my home.

Why is it important to you to support O₂ Utah?

It’s not as if our poor air quality is a big surprise and yet, it took this wonderful nonprofit to make some headway. I am so thankful that O₂ Utah is here and fighting for clean air. Through their work and the support of donors (like me), change is happening. Just look at the success of HB 220 passing the Legislature and now signed into law!

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.