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 by 5% if it meant increasing the price of goods or increasing taxes by 5%.
Further, there existed a notable difference in the preferences of conservative and liberal respondents. As the respondents’ degree of political conservativism increases, their willingness to pay for air quality declines.
Nonetheless, air pollution in Utah causes between 2,500 and 8,000 premature deaths each year, decreasing Utahn’s median life expectancy between 1.1 and 3.6 years. Various health problems are also caused by poor air quality, with those most at risk being asthma patients, children, older adults, and individuals who are active outdoors.
That said, research indicates that many household strategies can help improve Utah’s air quality. The Utah Legislature has also taken action. And even cities can work to accomplish air quality goals.
“The largest component of Utah’s air pollution is vehicle emissions,” said Shawn Teigen, Utah Foundation President. “Given that, we could really improve our air quality if we were better at using public transportation, actively getting to work, or otherwise keeping our cars in our garages – though it isn’t easy.”
Read the brief here.
