A recent survey suggests the valley’s most populated cities are among its most environmentally friendly.

Provo, Orem, Lehi and Lindon received the “Environmental Stewardship Award” from the Utah Valley Earth Forum, thanks to the cities’ efforts to promote human and environmental health in their communities.

The Utah Valley Earth Forum’s survey has been sent out annually since 2012 to each city in the county, inquiring if they participate in a number of environmental efforts. This year’s rendition had 27 categories, ranging from water conservation to initiatives to combat plastic pollution. 

Each of the four top cities checked the box on the survey’s two key items: having a citywide sustainability policy and a city environmental advocate.

Lehi led the pack with 19 environmental activities, while Provo had 18, Lindon had 15 and Orem had 12.

“Those are the four cities that are doing standout, exemplary work in helping improve environmental health and human health,” Utah Valley Earth Forum chair Jim Westwater said.

Beyond the top four cities, the other results relied on older data, because no other cities responded to the survey this year, Westwater said. He found that unusual, because typically the majority of cities respond. He also said he sent the survey to every city manager and mayor and followed up twice.

“Why was there unanimity among all those other cities about not responding this year, whereas all of them in the past have, except for American Fork, which has never responded?” he asked.

He has some ideas — one being that there is a “cooling of a concern” with the environment since President Donald Trump took office and pulled back on certain environmental regulations and agreements.

He also hypothesized that some cities don’t care about the survey anymore, or determined it wasn’t in their best interest to respond this year.

“Maybe the other cities that did not respond this year are not proud of what they are not doing,” Westwater said. “They may not be doing enough, and it doesn’t make them look good, compared with Lehi, Orem, Provo and Lindon.”

The Daily Herald reached out to a handful of cities Thursday and asked why they didn’t respond to the survey. Of the respondents, an Eagle Mountain official said the city was unfamiliar with the survey, while Santaquin and Vineyard officials each said they never saw it sent out this year.

Whatever the case may be, the year-to-year results do show the majority of Utah County cities have seen substantial increases in environmental activities since Utah Valley Earth Forum started the survey in 2012.

Eight Utah County cities said they had citywide policies on sustainability in 2024: Eagle Mountain, Elk Ridge, Lehi, Lindon, Orem, Provo, Vineyard and Woodland Hills. That was opposed to three cities in 2012: Provo, Orem and Springville.

Seventeen cities have increased their total environmental activities since 2012, with Lehi and Lindon seeing the most growth by assigning environmental advocates and promoting alternative transportation, among other factors. 

“Lehi by far had more gains than any other city compared with 2012,” Westwater said. “Provo and Orem were already doing good numbers back in 2012 but Lehi wasn’t. And you’ll look and see that Lehi gained in eight different areas, more so than any other city or town in Utah Valley.”

Westwater hopes the survey has an indirect impact on encouraging environmental improvement in the valley and enhancing overall awareness.

“It is meant to help educate those cities which may not be sure of what they can do to help the environment,” he said. “So it’s meant to educate and inspire as well as inform.”

The study can found at survey.uvef.org.