Public Lands

Concern for Western lands

Published on by Cyndy

The Daily Sentinel

Feb 1, 2019

By DENNIS WEBB

A poll released Thursday by Colorado College suggests a disconnect between the priorities of Western voters when it comes to public lands, and those of the Trump administration’s energy-dominance agenda.

The college’s ninth-annual State of the Rockies survey also identified increasing concern among Westerners about climate change.

The poll found that about two-thirds of respondents want Congress to ensure protection of water, air quality and wildlife habitat while providing opportunities to visit and recreate on federal land, while about a quarter of respondents want it to ensure production of more domestic energy by maximizing how much land is available for responsible oil and gas drilling and mining.  Read more

Poll: NM Voters Show Bipartisan Support for Public Lands

Published on by Cyndy

Public News Service

February 1, 2019

ALBUQUERQUE, M.N. – Voters in eight Western states, including New Mexico, oppose policies by the Trump administration that shrink national monuments and promote oil and gas development as part of an “energy dominance” agenda.

Both Republicans and Democrats responding to the ninth annual “Conservation in the West” poll said conservation, not resource extraction, should guide management on public lands.

Robert Fanger, chief communications officer with the Hispanic Access Foundation, says Latinos have historically been left out of the conversation about public lands, but that is changing.  Read more

Wyoming Voters Want Access To Fed Lands

Published on by Cyndy

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

by Jackson Hole Radio News

The ninth annual Colorado College “State of the Rockies Project Conservation in the West Poll” released yesterday shows voters in Wyoming continue to support efforts to keep public lands protected and accessible, putting them at odds with the current administration’s “energy dominance” agenda. The poll surveyed the views of voters in Wyoming along with Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah on policies impacting the use and protection of public lands.  Read more

Poll: Wyomingites strongly conservationist despite conflicts in land use, energy development

Published on by Cyndy

CASPER STAR TRIBUNE

SCOTTSBLUFF STAR HERALD

STAR HERALD ONLINE

Heather Richards

Feb 1, 2019

Among their Western neighbors, Wyomingites remain the least concerned by climate change, but most are unabashedly conservationists, valuing an outdoors economy and protections for open spaces, according to an annual poll published by Colorado College.

Just 52 percent of Wyomingites consider climate change a serious problem, up 6 percentage points from 2016, according to the poll. More than 75 percent would call themselves conservationists.  Read more

Bill would prohibit oil and gas leases in Nevada’s Ruby Mountains

Published on by Cyndy

RENO GAZETTE JOURNAL

by Benjamin Spillman

Published 5:00 p.m. PT Jan. 31, 2019

Nevada’s picturesque Ruby Mountains would be entirely off limits to oil and gas leasing under a bill in the U.S. Senate.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto wrote the bill that would prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from issuing oil and gas leases throughout the entire 450,000-acre Ruby Mountains Ranger District.

The bill would not affect grazing, mining or any other existing use on the land.

The bill comes as the U.S. Forest Service is reviewing a proposal that would offer leases on about 50,000 acres, including near popular areas for outdoor recreation such as Lamoille Canyon and Harrison Pass.

Read more

Poll: Nevadans Favor Public-Lands Conservation Over Energy Production

Published on by Cyndy

NEVADA CAPITAL NEWS

by Suzanne Potter

CARSON CITY – Almost two-thirds of Nevadans oppose the Trump administration’s emphasis on energy production over conservation on public land, according to a new poll.

Researchers for the ninth annual “Conservation in the West” poll from Colorado College surveyed 400 registered voters in eight western states, including Nevada. They found that 64 percent of Nevadans want Congress to focus on protecting air, water and land – compared with 25 percent who said more drilling and mining should be a higher priority.  Read more

Coloradans, other Westerners strongly support public lands, conservation, new poll says

Published on by Cyndy

Annual Colorado College survey shows growing concern about water supplies, climate change

By | jkohler@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
A new poll showing that a majority of Coloradans consider themselves conservationists and favor protecting natural resources and wildlife on public lands meshes with priorities set by his administration, Gov. Jared Polis said Thursday.
Colorado College released the results of its ninth annual State of the Rockies Conservation in the West Poll during a call with the media. The pollsters — one who typically works with Democrats and one who typically works for Republicans — conducted 3,200 phone interviews with 400 registered voters in eight Western states.   Read more

PUBLIC LANDS Western voters want protection, not drilling – poll

Published on by Cyndy

Jennifer Yachnin, E&E News reporter

Western state voters want the 116th Congress to focus on ensuring clean air and water, as well as access to public lands, rather than maximizing energy production, according to a survey released today.

The results are included in the ninth annual Conservation in the West Poll conducted by Colorado College’s State of the Rockies Project, which surveyed 3,200 voters across Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

“Over the history of the Conservation in the West Poll, we’ve consistently seen bipartisan support for protecting public lands and outdoor spaces,” State of the Rockies Project Director Corina McKendry said in a conference call announcing the results.  Read more

Poll: Western Republican and Democratic Voters Alike Support Public Lands

Published on by Cyndy
COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO
By Grace Hood

January 31, 2019

Both Republicans and Democrats across the Interior West are concerned about Trump administration policies that shrink national monuments and promote oil and gas development on public lands.

That’s according to the ninth annual Conservation in the West poll, a bipartisan snapshot of values across the Interior West.

“There is an overwhelming sentiment that conservation rather than resource extraction ought to be guiding our management of these lands,” pollster Dave Metz said.

The poll results show a disconnect between decisions made in Washington D.C. at the federal level and the wishes of voters, Metz said.

Read more