Problems with Project Blue

• The board voted to approve the project WITHOUT an environmental or health impact assessment of this project, and we know from communities across the country that data centers like this cause air and water pollution, environmental destruction, and health problems for nearby communities.
• The corporation that will develop the data center (Beale Infrastructure) has shared very little information with the public or with the Board of Supervisors about the amount of water and energy it will consume, and many parts of the agreement were covered by a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). A newly-released development agreement (made public on July 14) has revealed several details that make the project even more shocking, including the fact that the name "Project Blue" actually refers to 2 additional planned data center sites
• We know from our neighbors in Phoenix that these giant data centers cause increases in energy demand, which residents have to pay for in rising rates [https://www.12news.com/article/money/consumer/arizona-data-center-demand-growing-100x-more-other-power-customers/75-c3304c6a-1191-4dc0-87a7-2e2d85676bac]. TEP has already recently announced a 14% rate hike. Project Blue will mean an even larger increase.
• Our elected officials on the Board of Supervisors followed a process that forced them to trust a corporation with no stake in the community, putting their interests over the interests of the people they serve. Allowing this project to move forward sets a precedent for how deals benefiting private interest can bypass public oversight.

But we can stop Project Blue.

The next step for Project Blue is land annexation by the city of Tucson, which the developer needs in order to connect to city of Tucson water. The Tucson City Council will meet next for a study session on Aug 6th.

Here's what you can do to stop Project Blue:

• Contact your City Council representatives and tell them to vote NO on annexation.
  • You can find your representative here: Pima County Precinct Search.
  • At a minimum, all you need to do is let your representative know that you want them to vote no. It is best to use your own words and say why this matters to you, their constituent.
  • (Call and Email scripts coming soon!)
  

  Council Member	Phone	Email
  Mayor Romero	(520) 791-4201	mayor.romero@tucsonaz.gov
  Ward 1: Vice Mayor Santa Cruz	(520) 791-4040	ward1@tucsonaz.gov
  Ward 2: Paul Cunningham	(520) 791-4687	ward2@tucsonaz.gov
  Ward 3: Kevin Dahl	(520) 791-4711	ward3@tucsonaz.gov
  Ward 4: Nikki Lee	(520) 791-3199	ward4@tucsonaz.gov
  Ward 5: Rocque Perez	(520) 791-4231	ward5@tucsonaz.gov
  Ward 6: Karin Uhlich	(520) 791-4601	ward6@tucsonaz.gov

• Attend upcoming public meetings to make your voice heard:
  • July 23rd 5 - 7pm: Attend the Ward 4 Community Information Meeting at Mica Mountain High School. At this event, we can expect to see Beale make their case, and there will be time for questions from community members.
  • August 6th (time TBA): PACK THE CHAMBERS! Show up to the Mayor and Council Study Session (expected time 2PM), or Speak at the Call to the Audience at the Mayor and City Council Public Hearing (expected start time 5:30pm). The public may not speak at the Study Session, but we may bring signs that are no larger than a regular 8.5 X 11 inch piece of paper. At Call to the Audience during the Public Hearing you will have 3 minutes to address the mayor and council before they make their decision two weeks later. You should arrive closer to 5pm to fill out your speaker card. Even if you don't want to speak, we want to PACK the city council chambers -- and remember that booing or speaking out of turn can be grounds for removal at the mayor's discretion. The City Council meets at City Hall, 255 W. Alameda.
  • August 19th at 5:30 p.m.: PACK THE CHAMBERS! Speak at the Call to the Audience at the City Council Regular Meeting. The mayor and council members are expected to vote at this meeting, and will arrive with their decisions already made. (This is why it's especially important to attend the Study Session on the 6th.) Like the event on the 6th, we want to pack the chambers -- bring signs to amplify our voices in case not everyone who wishes to speak is given time to do so.
• Write letters to the editor. We want to flood local outlets with letters to the editor to let readers know what is happening, why we must stop Project Blue, and to show Tucson that the community is standing strong to protect our water, energy, and environment. Write to the Daily Star here.

Additional resources

Digging Deeper

• Our Content about this first thing.
• Our content about another thing.
• A White Paper we wrote about this.