LOS ANGELES >> A statewide survey of California voters, commissioned by the nonprofit Hispanic Access Foundation and conducted by David Binder Research, finds that more than three in four Californians (78 percent) oppose actions taken by President Donald Trump to remove protections from about 2 million acres of public lands that were previously declared national monuments. Only 18 percent support his decision.
Further underscoring the value that California voters of all demographics and political affiliations place on protecting public lands, 88 percent of millennial voters oppose the president’s decision, as do strong majorities across other generational groups. Nearly all Democrats (95 percent) oppose the president’s decision, along with 88 percent of independents. Just over half of Republicans (53 percent) support it. Opposition is high across racial and ethnic groups, but voters of color (84 percent) are more likely than White voters (74 percent) to oppose the president’s decision.
“We all share the moral obligation to protect our outdoor heritage, to protect these special places and to preserve them as a legacy for future generations,” said Maite Arce, President and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation. “These national monuments were the byproduct of years of coalition building and stakeholder input — community roundtables, comment periods, events, visits, joint letters, etc. — and demonstrate the widespread support for the historical, recreational and economic benefits of our public lands.”
The survey tested voters’ preferences for various outdoor recreational activities, their reasons for not visiting national public lands in California, and their overall views on the value of public lands. Overwhelming majorities strongly agree that public lands:
Are important to conserve for our children and grandchildren (89 percent)
Are important for protecting our oceans, beaches, and coasts (85 percent)
Are an important home to many species of wildlife (84 percent)
Are valuable for their historical and archaeological sites (82 percent)
The survey also asked California voters about the proposed Cadiz water project, a plan that would provide water to residents of Los Angeles and Orange counties by pumping groundwater from underneath a national park, national monument, and other public lands in the Mojave Desert. By more than a 3 to 1 margin, voters are more likely to agree (67 percent) that pumping will drain the underground water sources, and dry up already scarce desert springs that wildlife need for survival. Only 19 percent agree that this project will create jobs and help ensure a reliable water supply for Southern California.
“Broad support for public lands spans all generations, racial and ethnic groups, and political affiliations in California,” said Pastor Gabriel Araya, Senior Pastor at Ministerio Internacional Casa Del Ray in Rialto, California and member of Por la Creación Faith-based Alliance. “The current administration’s decision to remove protections from national monuments — potentially opening them up to drilling, mining, or logging — is hugely unpopular in the Golden State, whose residents greatly value their access to public lands and wish them to be conserved for future generations.”
According to the survey, the approval rating for President Trump in California sits at 28 percent among all voters, 18 percent among non-White voters. Unfavorable ratings are at 70 percent among all voters, with 78 percent of non-White voters offering an unfavorable opinion of President Trump. Voters give Trump much lower marks than they give to statewide officials. Six in 10 (60 percent) have a favorable impression of Governor Jerry Brown (32 percent unfavorable), 53 percent view Senator Dianne Feinstein favorably (31 percent unfavorable), and 46 percent view Senator Kamala Harris favorably (17 percent unfavorable).
The poll surveyed 629 registered voters in California who voted in the 2016 presidential election and at least one other non-presidential election since 2008, or who registered to vote in 2016 and voted in that election. Additionally, the survey oversampled non-White registered California voters who met the same voting criteria as the base sample. The survey was conducted between January 25-30, 2018 and has a margin of error of ±4 percent for the base sample, ±5.6 percent for the oversample.
