NEWS RELEASE: New Utah poll shows strong, bipartisan support for ambitious methane and air pollution reduction measures

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  |  January 29, 2025 – Salt Lake City, UT

Utahns strongly support ambitious measures to address air pollution and smog as well as stronger rules to cut methane from oil and gas operations in the state, according to a statewide public opinion survey conducted by New Bridge Strategy for the Mormon Environmental Stewardship Alliance, Breathe Utah, and the Environmental Defense Fund. The poll also shows that by a two to one margin (66% to 34%) Utahns believe the Utah Air Quality Board, not the State Legislature, should be in charge of developing specific air quality standards in the state. 

“Utah voters are concerned about air quality and want the State to do something about it. They overwhelmingly support stronger rules to reduce methane released from oil and gas operations,” said Lori Weigel, Principal of New Bridge Strategy. “It’s worth noting that majorities across the state and across party lines support taking this action.” 

 Dealing with air pollution and smog ranks among the very top issues Utah voters are concerned about – right alongside addressing the cost of living – with 72% of voters identifying it as an extremely or very important problem and nearly two-thirds saying that the State of Utah should do more to reduce air pollution. 

A broad majority (69%) support the Utah Air Quality Board adopting stronger rules to reduce methane and other air pollutants from oil and gas operations, including regular inspections of older, lower-producing wells. And voters of all political parties support stronger methane rules, including 60% of Republicans, 71% of Independents, and 98% of Democrats.

 Additional findings include:

• Strong, bipartisan support for air pollution and methane rules. In addition to 69% support for stronger rules to reduce methane, 3/4 of voters support requiring commercial and industrial businesses that produce five tons or more of pollution each year to obtain air permit applications, including 68% of Republicans, 73% of Independents, and 99% of Democrats. Sixty-nine percent of voters say the State of Utah should make every effort to meet the EPA’s air quality standards.
• Majorities of voters from all political parties prefer the Utah Air Quality Board rather than the State Legislature develop specific air quality standards, including 58% of Republicans, 73% of Independents, and 80% of Democrats, as well as majorities of voters in all regions of the state.

 “Utahns understand there is nothing more fundamental to life than safeguarding our atmosphere and the air we breathe.” said Soren Simonsen, Board Member and Officer of Mormon Environmental Stewardship Alliance. “Utah’s Uinta Basin has some of the worst methane pollution in the nation, and we look forward to working with Utah’s air quality leaders to reduce the impacts of oil and gas waste and pollution, improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and families, and secure a cleaner and safer energy future.”

New data indicates that methane emissions from oil and gas operations are too high in Utah’s Uinta Basin, which is dominated by aging, leak-prone, low producing wells with extremely high methane loss rates. Utah’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) under the Department of Environmental Quality is considering revisions to the state’s air quality rules to implement methane standards for oil and gas sites that will reduce emissions from oil and gas operations, comply with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) methane rule, and ensure Utah retains primacy in regulating air pollution under the Clean Air Act.

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New Bridge Strategy conducted this survey among 500 registered voters across Utah from January 4-9, 2025. Interviews were conducted via live telephone interviews (both cell phones and landlines) and online via text-to-web. Quotas were set for key demographic sub-groups, such as gender and age. The margin of error is ±4.38% for the overall sample. The margin of error will vary for sub-groups. Click here for a summary of key findings.

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Since its formation in 2013, Mormon Environmental Stewardship Alliance has been extremely active in its advocacy for improving air quality and addressing climate change. Our leaders and members have engaged extensively with federal, state and local elected officials to regulate harmful pollutants of our air and atmosphere, like methane. In recent years, the non-attainment of air quality standards in Utah’s Uinta Basin has increased to concerning levels as a result of local methane pollution, bringing harm to residents and front-line workers in extractive energy industries.

Working with a coalition of partner organizations, MESA recently contracted with New Bridge Strategy to conduct an opinion poll in early January, and on January 29, 2025, released the following information and survey results as a resource and guide to state and national political leaders and air quality regulatory boards and agencies, to take urgent and appropriate action to reduce harmful and wasteful methane emissions.

We invite the people of Utah’s Uinta Basin, and across the state and region, to help amplify this message and join us in working with the Utah Division of Air Quality and the Utah Air Quality Board in their efforts to implement the Utah Oil & Gas Methane Emissions Reduction Plan, which is currently accepting written comments, and the broader Beehive Emission Reduction Plan, which is currently seeking public input through January 31, 2025, for all types of harmful emissions, including methane.