Latino voters in Colorado and across the Mountain West say they're concerned about the Trump administration’s rollbacks in protections for land, water and wildlife, according to the latest bipartisan Conservation in the West Poll conducted by Colorado College.

At a recent press briefing, Diego Gil-Agudelo, director of conservation at the Hispanic Access Foundation, said Latino voters want elected officials to protect the environment and prioritize conservation.

"Latinos strongly support protecting public lands, investing in clean energy, conserving water and implementing policies that address climate change responsibly and justly," he said.

On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump distanced himself from the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 policy blueprint, calling it “ridiculous.” But according to a new analysis, the administration has gutted federal agencies that oversee national parks and forests, limited environmental reviews, undermined Endangered Species Act protections and increased fossil-fuel production on public lands – all Project 2025 priorities.

Nearly nine in 10 Latino voters said they would consider a candidate’s environmental record before casting their ballot, 72% prefer expanding clean energy over extracting more coal, gas and oil, and 80% want the federal government to make fossil fuel companies, not taxpayers, pay for restoring landscapes.

Gabrielle Aragon, a member of the faith-based alliance Por La Creación, pointed to deep religious roots in conservation practices.

"Although God gave us dominion over the Earth, dominion does not mean domination," she said. "It does not give us permission to abuse God’s creation."

Voters surveyed are also concerned about staff and funding cuts that make it harder to manage lands owned by all Americans.

Diana Haro, a community organizer for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, said the most powerful tool for protecting public lands is public participation.

"But voting isn’t the only way," she said. "It’s also about staying informed and participating in the public processes of the agencies that manage these lands."

Source: Public News Service