Western voters strongly prefer conservation over other uses of public lands and those issues play a key role in how they will vote

Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities


** Western voters are more worried about nature than ever before
------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, February 15, 2024
[link removed]
Ninety-two percent of Colorado voters support protecting the public lands surrounding the Dolores River. Source: BLM Colorado ([link removed])

Western voters strongly prefer conservation over other uses of public lands and those issues play a key role in how they will vote in the 2024 elections, according to the 14th annual Conservation in the West Poll ([link removed]) from the Colorado College State of the Rockies Project.

The bipartisan poll, which surveyed the views of voters in eight Western states, found over two-thirds of voters are worried about the future of land, water, and wildlife. Compared to other issues like the economy, health care, and education, 85 percent say issues involving clean water, clean air, wildlife, and public lands are important in deciding whether to support an elected official. Seventy percent of voters prefer their congressional representatives place more emphasis on protecting clean water, air quality, and wildlife habitat than on maximizing the amount of public lands available for responsible oil and gas drilling and mining. For the first time in the poll’s history, prioritizing conservation over maximizing energy production received majority support among Republicans and Independents.

“There may be a lot that divides voters across the country, but in the West there is nearly universal consensus in favor of conservation,” said Katrina Miller-Stevens ([link removed]) , Director of the State of the Rockies Project and an associate professor at Colorado College. “Not only do voters prefer conservation when asked how public lands and water should be utilized, but issues involving water, air, land, and wildlife are top of mind when they make their voting decisions.”

As seen in previous poll results ([link removed]) , public lands and the outdoors play an important role in Western lifestyles, and Western voters also view connecting with nature as vital for their well-being. Ninety-three percent say spending more time outdoors would help counter growing rates of anxiety, depression, and mental health problems in young people.

You can read the full poll results and look back at previous years at the Colorado College State of the Rockies website ([link removed]) .


** Quick hits
------------------------------------------------------------

Poll: Western voters show bipartisan support for conservation on public lands

KUNM ([link removed]) | Grand Junction Daily Sentinel ([link removed]) | Utah News Dispatch ([link removed]) | KNAU ([link removed]) | Axios ([link removed]) | NBC Montana ([link removed]) | Westword ([link removed]) | Missoula Current
([link removed]) | CPR News ([link removed]) | Public News Service ([link removed])

For Grand Teton and partners, it's $100 million max for Kelly parcel

Jackson Hole News and Guide ([link removed])

Anxiety builds as deadline nears for rulemakings

E&E News ([link removed])

Can we save nature with crazy shapes?

Washington Post ([link removed])

Silverspot butterfly is now protected under the Endangered Species Act

Denver Post ([link removed]) | CBS News ([link removed]) | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ([link removed]) [press release]

Hundreds of Colorado wetlands and streams are unshielded right now

Colorado Sun ([link removed])

Opinion: Why is Forest Service sacrificing Idaho’s rivers?

Missoulian ([link removed])

The push for a national monument in east Las Vegas

KTNV ([link removed])


** Quote of the day
------------------------------------------------------------

” We have always seen pretty significant emphasis on conservation across party lines, but this is the first year that we’ve got majorities of all three parties–including 89% of Democrats, 72% of Independents, and 52% of Republicans indicating that they want Congress to focus more on prioritizing conservation on these lands.”

—David Metz, partner with FM3, a pollster for the Conservation in the West poll, KUNM ([link removed])


** Picture This
------------------------------------------------------------
[link removed]

@westernpriorities ([link removed])
Western voters LOVE #publiclands ([link removed]) and want to see them protected!! 💗

That's according to new polling from Colorado College's State of the Rockies project.

============================================================
** Website ([link removed])
** Instagram ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Medium ([link removed])
Copyright © 2024 Center for Western Priorities, All rights reserved.
You've signed up to receive Look West updates.

Center for Western Priorities
1999 Broadway
Suite 520
Denver, CO 80202
USA
** View this on the web ([link removed])

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])