FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FLAGSTAFF, AZ — Results of a poll released today by the Grand Canyon Trust show that Arizona voters strongly support the temporary ban on new uranium mining around the Grand Canyon. The poll, commissioned through bipartisan pollsters Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3) and Public Opinion Strategies, surveyed 600 registered Arizona voters. The Grand Canyon Trust commissioned the poll to survey voter attitudes about mining on public lands near Grand Canyon National Park.
The statewide study found that three in five voters want to continue the existing ban on new uranium mining on public lands next to Grand Canyon National Park. A majority of Arizona voters now say that "more needs to be done" to protect the air, land, and water around the park — a marked increase since 2009. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of voters view outdoor recreation and tourism as more important to the economic future of Arizona than mining.
Moreover, voters almost universally (96 percent) believe that keeping lands and water healthy in the state is critical both to the economy and to quality of life. This support is strong across political party, demographic group, and geography, with majority support in every major subgroup, including sportsmen and rural residents.
“There are many things that Arizonans don't agree on, but the value of the Grand Canyon to the state’s economy and quality of life is not one of them. A healthy majority of Arizonans agree that uranium mining poses a threat to those values,” said Amber Reimondo, energy director with the Grand Canyon Trust.
“What’s clear from the data is that Democrats and Republicans alike want to see the Grand Canyon uranium mining ban remain intact,” said Lori Weigel, a partner at Public Opinion Strategies, a Republican polling firm.
“There aren’t many political issues these days where the public isn’t fiercely divided,” said Dave Metz, partner and president at Democratic polling firm Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates, “but when it comes to uranium mining in the Grand Canyon region, Arizona voters agree it’s a bad idea.”
The Havasupai Tribe is very encouraged to see the results of the Grand Canyon Trust poll showing that Arizonans feel strongly that the Grand Canyon should be protected from uranium mining,” said Havasupai Tribal Councilwoman Carletta Tilousi. “The Havasupai people have lived in the Grand Canyon for centuries and know that our land, waters, and animals need to be protected for our future generations. But this is not just a Native American issue,” Tilousi continued. “This national treasure needs to be protected for all citizens.”
"Sportsmen continue to speak loud and clear: The area around the Grand Canyon is too valuable to mine for uranium," said Brad Powell, president of the Arizona Wildlife Federation.
Details of the poll
Read a summary of the poll findings ›
See a presentation of some of the poll’s key findings ›
