Majority of Westerners Favor Climate Action and Public Land Conservation
A recent poll shows that 72% of Western voters prioritize conservation over oil and gas development, reflecting a growing consensus in support of public lands. Only 24% favor increased drilling, marking a 48-point margin for conservation. Support for federal climate initiatives is also robust, with nearly three-quarters of respondents advocating for such measures. Experts warn that straying from these preferences could have political repercussions for elected officials.
According to the latest Conservation in the West Poll conducted by Colorado College, a significant majority of Western voters, 72%, prefer their Congressional representatives to focus on preserving clean air, water, and wildlife habitats rather than increasing oil and gas extraction on public lands. This figure represents a 2% increase from the previous year, with only 24% favoring more drilling, yielding the largest margin for conservation in the poll’s fifteen-year history.
The polling, which involved 3,316 respondents across eight states, indicated a widespread consensus among various political ideologies in favor of protecting public lands. Associate Professor Katrina Miller-Stevens mentioned, “Westerners do not want to see a rollback of national monument protections and there is no mandate for oil and gas development.”
Despite the increased oil and gas output in the U.S., the desire for land conservation remains high among Western populations. As political debates heat up regarding public lands, recent firings announced by the Trump administration have been dubbed a “Valentine’s Day Massacre,” as over 5,400 employees were laid off, many from agencies like the National Park Service.
Poll results revealed that federal decisions regarding public land management should be made by career officials rather than elected representatives. An overwhelming 87% of surveyed voters supported this approach, expressing a strong preference for experienced management of public lands over political appointments.
Additionally, nearly three-quarters of Western respondents support federal initiatives to combat climate change. Approval for such actions, however, varies across states; for instance, 77% of respondents from New Mexico back federal action, while only 52% from Wyoming support these measures. Overall, 90% indicated a desire to maintain national monument designations established in the past decade.
As a new administration potentially alters public land policies, activist Rachael Hamby cautioned that ignoring Westerners’ preferences could lead to political consequences: “If elected officials are straying too far from what their constituents want to see, they’re going to have to answer to their voters.”
The latest poll highlights an overwhelming preference among Westerners for public land conservation and federal action on climate change. The strong consensus indicates a significant divide between the governmental stance under the Trump administration and the desires of constituents. As public land management policies evolve, adherence to the preferences of Western voters is essential to maintaining political support moving forward.
Original Source: www.hcn.org
