‘We respect the workers, we don’t respect the work’: Protesters rally against Project Blue construction

Dozens of protesters gathered in front of the Project Blue data center construction site near the Pima County Fairgrounds in Arizona, chanting slogans and attempting to block construction vehicles. The demonstration, organized by groups like the No Desert Data Center Coalition, highlighted deep-seated frustrations with the public process, local elected officials, and concerns over water and power consumption by the facility. Activists like Vivek Bharathan expressed disappointment that the Arizona Corporation Commission approved a deal between Beale Infrastructure, the developers of Project Blue, and Tucson Electric Power (TEP), despite record numbers of public comments opposing it. Organizer Reed Spurling accused officials of betrayal, citing a prior unanimous vote by the Tucson City Council to deny water service to the site, which developers had indicated would halt the project, but proved to be untrue. The protests led to the involvement of the Pima County Sheriff's Department, who moved demonstrators out of the road after they ignored requests to clear a path for vehicles. Meanwhile, the legal battle surrounding the project continues: a Pima County judge recently dismissed a lawsuit filed by opponents against Pima County and its Planning and Zoning Commission, which alleged violations of state open meeting law. Separately, attorneys for the opponents are preparing to challenge the Town of Marana and its Town Clerk over referendum petitions seeking to undo a rezoning decision for a second data center being developed by Beale in Pima County.