Americans overwhelmingly support environment over energy development
April 14, 2015 | By
Jaclyn Brandt
Although energy has been on the minds of many Americans lately -- especially with weather and natural events, like Hurricane Sandy and the drought California is currently going through -- energy development is apparently less important to many Americans than the environment. According to a poll conducted by Gallup, nearly 50 percent of Americans say environmental protection should be a government priority, while 39 percent say energy supply development should take priority.
Each respondent was told to prioritize energy development or the environment -- with the understanding that their choice might come at the expense of the other. Gallup conducted their 2015 Environmental poll March 5-8, and also found that 11 percent of Americans either had no opinion or could not decide if energy or the environment was more of a priority to them. "The perceived trade-off between protecting the environment at the expense of accessing new energy sources has generated a great deal of debate in America for some time," Gallup said in a statement. "The fight over the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport Canadian oil through the U.S. to refineries near the Gulf Coast, is only the latest example. Meanwhile many ongoing controversies -- such as drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a fight that has been raging for decades, and proposed new rules limiting coal and oil-fired utility plant emissions -- continue to flare partisan tempers with no mutually accepted resolution in sight." The survey showed that Americans chose the environment between 2001 and 2008, but from 2009 to 2013, they favored energy production. The "Great Recession" likely had an impact on these answers, and in May 2010, there was a short period during the BP oil spill where Americans chose the environment. Gallup suggested that the respondents reverted to the environment in the latest poll because of current lowered gas prices. "Gallup has seen a modest increase in economic confidence as gas prices have fallen, suggesting Americans are feeling real benefits from the drop in the cost of a tank of gas," Gallup explained. "But should gas prices increase substantially, Americans' feelings on this issue could change." The split fell along party lines, with 72 percent of Democrats prioritizing environmental protection, and 18 percent prioritizing energy. Twenty-seven percent of Republicans prioritize the environment, and 62 percent prioritize energy development. For more: © 2015 FierceMarkets, a division of Questex Media Group LLC. All rights reserved |