Environmental concerns among Westerners mount, new poll shows
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From President Trump's first term to his second, Westerners have become more intensely concerned about the rollback of environmental protections, a new poll shows.
Why it matters: The numbers from the annual Conservation in the West poll released Wednesday suggest conservation isn't a niche issue — it's political bedrock in eight Southwest and Rocky Mountain states.
Driving the news: 84% of Western voters say backpedaling on laws that protect land, water and wildlife is a serious concern, up from 68% in 2018.
In addition, 86% say spending cuts to national parks, forests and other public lands are problematic.
- The sentiment crosses party lines. 75% of MAGA-aligned voters agree that spending cuts to national parks and public lands are a serious issue, the poll finds.
The intrigue: Entering the midterm election cycle, 85% of voters say conservation issues are a deciding factor in who they will pick on the ballot. That number is up from 75% in 2016.
Zoom in: Colorado voters are most concerned in many categories, the poll discovered, with 68% saying it's an extremely or very serious problem. Another 21% called it a serious problem.
- Other issues where the state's voters expressed concern are fewer resources for wildfires, national parks and scientists who work on public lands.
- 83% of the state is opposed to selling national public lands for oil, gas and mining development. Instead, they overwhelmingly support expanded renewable energy projects
Between the lines: Respondents from all Colorado River states said they support an agreement requiring reduced water usage, with the majorities in Arizona (85%), Colorado (87%) and Nevada (84%).
- The poll was completed just weeks before Colorado River states missed a key federal deadline for a new agreement on cuts and conservation amid a long-term regional drought.
What they're saying: While everyone agreed on the need for states to conserve water to preserve the Colorado River, the poll doesn't indicate who the respondents think should do the conserving.
- The lower basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada have repeatedly called for upper basin states Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming to take additional cuts, which they've strongly resisted.
The fine print: The bipartisan poll received responses from 3,419 registered voters Jan. 2-18 in eight states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. The margin of error is plus-or-minus 2.4% for the full sample and no larger than 4.9% for individual states.