Air Quality

Air Quality: 2024 Utah Priorities Project

Written by: Staff

Air quality was ranked as important in the 2024 Utah Priorities Survey. Those most concerned about air quality were higher-income voters, voters with graduate degrees, and liberal voters. A 2023 statewide poll identified that close to 60% of respondents support strengthening environmental regulations in the U.S., and over 75% indicated that protecting the environment should be more important than economic growth. However, many Utah Priorities Project survey respondents expressed an unwillingness to improve air quality … Continued

Priced Out and Fed Up: Cost of Living and Government Dysfunction are Voters’ Top Issues

Written by: Christopher Collard

Each November, Utahns have a chance to shape government to fit their needs. Ideally, the voters’ voices serve as a compass to correct the course of government and shape society. However, information gaps can preclude an ideal outcome. First, politicians and policymakers need to understand Utahns’ priorities. Second, voters need relevant background on the issues that matter most. The Utah Foundation’s Utah Priority Project seeks to fill those information gaps and provide that background. Priced … Continued

To a Higher Standard: Building Codes, Improved Efficiency and Air Quality in Utah

Written by: Shawn Teigen

Utah has kept up to date on commercial building code standards, but it has maintained older residential building standards that fall short of more efficient building practices. To a Higher Standard: Building Codes, Improved Efficiency and Air Quality in Utah explores possible new standards with an eye toward air quality, examining costs and benefits. Would you like a quicker review of the report? Read the executive summary.   KEY FINDINGS OF THIS REPORT Driven by … Continued

Plugging Into the Future of Electricity: The Economic Impacts of the IPP Renewed Project

Written by: Christopher Collard

Having provided coal-generated electricity since the mid-1980s, the Intermountain Power Agency (IPA) has decided to build a combined-cycle gas power plant by 2025 to replace the coal-fueled generators. The plan, known as IPP Renewed, will include a turbine that runs on a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen, with 30% hydrogen at start-up, transitioning to 100% hydrogen by 2045. Plugging into the Future of Electricity explores the IPP Renewed endeavor and its economic impact to … Continued

Utah Rising – Initiatives for a Broad & Rapid Economic Revival

Written by: Staff

At the onset of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic and resultant economic downturn, the Utah Foundation worked with the Finance Committee of the Utah Economic Response Task Force to brainstorm and develop ideas with the potential to aid the economic rebound of the state. This menu of ideas includes some ideas that are well-developed and others in preliminary stages. Some are short-term approaches while others look further onto the horizon. While many of the ideas require … Continued

Driving Toward a Cleaner Future: Alternative Fuel Vehicles in Utah

Written by: Shawn Teigen

Driving Toward a Cleaner Future: Alternative Fuel Vehicles in Utah examines the incentives and disincentives around electric cars, as well as the policy decisions around preparation for a wide proliferation of electric vehicles in the future. It also examines the incentives and requirements around public and private heavy-duty fleet vehicles.   Key Findings of this Report Electric vehicles – or battery electric cars and plug-in hybrids – accounted for less than 2% of the nation’s new … Continued

Utah Foundation Quality of Life Survey: Measuring Utahns’ Perceptions of their Communities, Personal Lives

Written by: Shawn Teigen

In collaboration with Intermountain Healthcare, Utah Foundation occasionally surveys Utahns in an effort to understand how they feel about both their community and their personal quality of life. KEY FINDINGS OF THIS REPORT Despite improvements in the economy, Utahns’ perceptions of their community quality of life has declined since 2013 from a score of 73 to 70. The availability of good jobs is the only aspect on Utah Foundation’s Community Quality of Life Index that … Continued

Utah Priorities 2016, Issue #2: Air Quality

Written by: Shawn Teigen

While air quality and the environment were a single topic in past Utah Priorities Project surveys, they were separated in 2016 based on preliminary survey feedback. Due in part to this change, air quality rose from seventh in 2012 (when combined with the environment) to the second most important issue to Utahns in 2016. Utah Voters’ Concern Over two-thirds of Utahns gave air quality a high level of concern (68% rated it a 4 or 5 on … Continued