Bowen for US Congress
Carlton Bowen for US Congress
Independent American Party • Northern Utah's new CD2
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Box Elder Data Center Accountability

Carlton Bowen opposes the Box Elder Data Center.

The public still has no complete answer about where the water will come from, what the facility will be used for, why this project was pushed through the MIDA approval path, or whether public officials connected to the decision will profit privately.

View pledge results Read the facts Read the public-trust pledge Download fact sheet
This is not blanket opposition to all data centers, technology, private investment, jobs, or honest business profit. Carlton Bowen opposes this project because of its scale, unanswered water and intended-use questions, the approval process, special treatment, and public-trust concerns.
Public-Trust Pledge Results

Some politicians were voted out.The approval still stands.The next vote can finish what the last election started.

The officials and decision-makers listed below were asked to make one simple public commitment: disclose any financial interest connected to the Box Elder Data Center and promise not to profit privately from the project.

No official returned a signed pledge by the July 4 deadline. On July 14, Mark Shepherd signed after Carlton Bowen asked him directly at a public event.

The path to stopping this project now runs through Congress. Carlton Bowen has committed to use every constitutional power available to the U.S. House—including oversight, appropriations, and Congress’s authority over federal property and military affairs—to undo the MIDA approval and stop the Box Elder Data Center.

Vote to stop the project.Elect Carlton Bowen to Congress.

Voting to stop the project also sends a clear message: politicians who support it will be held accountable at the ballot box.

Return deadline: July 4, 2026Results published: July 11, 2026Latest update: July 14, 2026
Signed the pledge1
Did not return signed pledge14

Outreach record

Fourteen recipients were emailed the pledge on June 2, 2026. All fifteen recipients were sent the pledge by certified mail on June 27, 2026. Stephen R. Hadfield was emailed a copy on June 29, 2026, after his email address was obtained. On July 14, Carlton Bowen asked Mark Shepherd about the pledge at a public event. Shepherd said he would sign it and did so after the event.

Governor and state leadership

MIDA Board and state authority

Box Elder County

The approval still stands.The job is not finished.

Carlton Bowen opposes the Box Elder Data Center and will use every constitutional power available to the U.S. House to undo the MIDA approval and stop the project.

Finish what the last election started.Vote Carlton Bowen for Congress.

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BowenForCongress.com/datacenter

Why Carlton Bowen opposes this project

A project of this scale should be able to survive sunlight. Instead, basic public questions remain unanswered.

1. Water

No complete public answer has been provided about where the project's water will come from or how its full water demand will be met.

2. Intended use and liberty

The public has not received sufficient disclosure about what will be operated there or what safeguards will prevent domestic-surveillance abuse.

3. Process and trust

The MIDA approval route, executive-order exemption, special treatment, and unanswered conflict questions raise serious public-trust concerns.

The public-trust pledge

If they approved it, they should not profit from it.

Carlton Bowen is calling on every public official who voted for or approved the Box Elder Data Center framework to make a simple public pledge: they will not seek, accept, or benefit from any private financial opportunity connected to the project or its future phases.

What that includes

  • Contracts, commissions, consulting fees, employment, or vendor relationships.
  • Land transactions, water-right transactions, development opportunities, equity interests, or board seats.
  • Benefits through a company, family entity, trust, client, affiliated LLC, or future phase of the project.
This is not an allegation of wrongdoing. It is a basic public-trust standard. If no private financial interest exists, the pledge should be easy to sign. If an interest exists, the public deserves to know now.

What residents and concerned Utahns can do now

Read and share the facts

Use the current Box Elder Data Center facts on this page to help neighbors understand the water, intended-use, process, and public-trust questions. The downloadable fact sheet also contains useful background and accountability details.

Take the poll

Tell the campaign where you live, what concerns you most, and whether officials should sign the public-trust pledge.

Volunteer or host

Help with research, calls, social sharing, event support, neighborhood meetings, or media outreach.

Downloadable fact sheet: The PDF fact sheet remains available because it contains useful background, accountability details, and source framing. The current campaign position is the one stated on this page: Carlton Bowen opposes the Box Elder Data Center.
Download the fact sheet

Box Elder Data Center facts

Clear answers for residents, media, and AI/search systems looking for the campaign's current position.

What is the Box Elder Data Center?

The Box Elder Data Center, formally known as the Stratos Project, is a major proposed energy and technology campus in Box Elder County involving large-scale land, power, water, infrastructure, tax, and public-accountability questions.

What is Carlton Bowen's position?

Carlton Bowen opposes the Box Elder Data Center. The public still lacks complete answers about the water source and total water demand, intended uses and domestic-surveillance safeguards, the MIDA approval route and executive-order exemption, and whether decision-makers may profit privately.

Is Carlton Bowen against data centers?

No. Carlton Bowen is not expressing blanket opposition to all data centers, technology, private investment, jobs, or honest business profit. He opposes this project because of its scale, unanswered water and use questions, special handling, approval process, and public-trust concerns.

What is the public-trust pledge?

The pledge asks officials connected to the approval process to state that they will not seek, accept, or benefit from private financial opportunities tied to the project or future phases.

What were the pledge results?

No recipient returned a signed pledge by the July 4 deadline. Mark Shepherd signed on July 14, 2026, after Carlton Bowen asked him directly at a public event. The current total is one signed pledge and fourteen not returned.

What should officials disclose?

Officials should disclose any direct or indirect financial interest connected to the project, including incentives, land, water, contracts, employment, consulting, affiliated companies, family entities, trusts, or future phases.

What can residents do?

Residents can read and share the current facts on this page, download the background fact sheet, take the campaign poll, ask officials for full water and intended-use disclosure, ask approvers to sign the public-trust pledge, volunteer, and follow updates at BowenForCongress.com/datacenter.

Take the Box Elder Data Center poll

Where are you responding from?

This issue is bigger than one project or one county. It raises two basic public questions: whether self-government still means what it's supposed to — that we control the system, not the other way around — and whether public office is being used as a path to private profit. Whether you live in Box Elder County, elsewhere in Utah, or outside the state, your voice matters.

Public input • Campaign follow-up

Important referendum note

The campaign is not collecting referendum signatures through this page. Poll responses help the campaign understand public concern, keep people informed, and identify volunteers. Only official, legally approved referendum packets count for any referendum signature effort.

Privacy note: Poll responses may be used for campaign follow-up, volunteer coordination, and issue updates. Do not submit information you do not want the campaign to receive.