The Story Behind
Your Utah, Your Future

 

 

GovHerbert-4.jpgOur state’s population has doubled in the last 30 years, and we’re projected to nearly double again in the next 35 years. This growth will affect what we love about this state—our high quality of life, beautiful natural surroundings, strong economy, and neighborly communities. Working toward a shared vision of the future will ensure we protect the things we value most for ourselves and for future generations.

How we grow matters. As our population increases, the choices we make will determine if we have clean air to breathe, quality jobs for everyone, an educated populace, enough water, convenient transportation, an affordable cost of living, good housing options, locally grown food, access to uncrowded outdoor recreation, and affordable and reliable energy.

In October 2013, Governor Gary Herbert, with Envision Utah, announced the Your Utah, Your Future process to examine these and other issues in light of the fact that our population will almost double by 2050. Your Utah, Your Future is a statewide vision that addresses 11 critical topics:

  • Agriculture
  • Air Quality
  • Disaster Resilience
  • Education
  • Energy
  • Housing and Cost of Living
  • Jobs and Economy
  • Public Lands
  • Recreation
  • Transportation and Communities
  • Water

Each of these topics is vitally and independently important, but none stands alone. For instance, how much we drive, what we drive, how we build homes, and how we produce energy will all impact our air quality. How we design communities will affect how much we spend on housing and transportation, as well as how much water we use. And how we perform on each of the 11 topics will determine the strength of our economy. This vision examines these topics and how they interrelate to explore what the future will be like for ourselves and future generations.