Clean energy will help save West's natural beauty

The Arizona Republic

Happily, over the years that I served as Arizona’s attorney general, and as Phoenix mayor before that, I found that large majorities of voters support clean energy. The popular support for solar and wind was apparent across our state, from visits to every corner of Arizona and countless letters and e-mail messages. Our citizens spoke clearly: They wanted clean and affordable energy, and they also wanted to maintain the spectacular natural beauty that drew many to Arizona in the first place.

It turns out these Arizonans are not alone in their support for clean energy. A poll conducted early this year by Republican and Democratic polling firms says that voters across the West, from every shade of the political spectrum, support clean, renewable energy development. Plus, in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, solid majorities view parks and public lands as essential to their state’s economy. These citizens also support upholding and strengthening protections for clean air, clean water, natural areas and wildlife.