A clear view of the night sky is rare, as over 80% of the world’s population cannot see the Milky Way Galaxy at night. Dark skies are culturally, ecologically, and economically valuable natural resources. Over the past twenty years, policies for stopping light pollution have increased around the world. This research asks how dark sky conservation is being enacted in the United States. Using the Multiple Streams Framework and qualitative data from over 300 policy documents, we characterize the problems, policy solutions, and politics around protecting night sky resources. We find that the problem with diminishing night skies is that of light pollution from urban development, especially in Western communities growing exponentially after the Covid-19 pandemic. To address the problem, the most important policy solution is the creation of Dark Sky Parks, a rigorous and scientific process articulated by a non-governmental organization known as the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). The IDA’s technical ideas for creating Dark Sky Parks are transmitted to decision-makers at park and landscape scales, as well as to individual members of the public to create policy change. The political backdrop of dark sky conservation entails surprising bipartisan support from policy-makers from different political parties due to the economic potential of astrotourism. Our findings are important for understanding how one country is protecting its night skies, as there are many possible pathways to conserving this natural resource. Our work has general applications for the role of NGOs in creating science policy, engaging the public, and enacting policy change.
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