Voters in Arizona and the Rocky Mountain West want their public lands protected and say the positions of candidates on conservation and land use could decide who gets their vote in the November elections. Voters in Arizona are concerned about pollution of the state’s rivers, lakes and streams. Arizona Wilderness Coalition director Barbara Hawke said 72 percent of the voters in the state say they would be more likely to support a candidate  who favors increased use of renewable energy, like wind and solar.

“Arizonans, like the country, are recognizing that we need to plan for our nation’s energy future, and planning for appropriate citing of renewables is a great way to add to that mix,” Hawke said.

The Colorado College poll of 2,400 registered voters found 84 percent approval for the National Park Service, 73 percent for the United States Forest Service and 69 percent for the Fish and Wildlife Service. Two out of three respondents gave the Bureau of Land Management more positive than negative ratings.