Survey Shows Different Results on Energy vs. Environment Questions

The Civil Society Institute (CSI) and the Environmental Working Group (EWG) announced the results of a survey this week that they say shows that Americans are not opposed to more domestic energy production, but that they do not want clean water, energy efficiency and expanded wind and solar power to be sacrificed in the process. The results contrast somewhat with other surveys that have been taken on the matter. Here are the details.



* According to the CSI/EWG survey, of the 809 respondents, 94 percent -- including 92 percent of Republicans and 98 percent of Democrats -- want political leadership on balancing more energy production with protecting the environment.



* Most Americans feel it is important for Congress to demonstrate leadership on a national agenda for clean energy and environmental protections and that national water resources should be an important consideration with U.S. energy planning and decision making.



* The groups -- both of which support the clean energy industry -- report that 86 percent of the respondents to their survey favored a shift from coal and nuclear energy to wind and solar. Additionally, the groups report, the majority of the respondents, regardless of political party, are opposed to fracking until more research is done and want more studies done on the health and environmental consequences of the chemicals used in fracking.



* The groups reported that three-quarters of their respondents have heard of fracking, with about half saying that they are very or somewhat familiar with it.



* According to a nearly one-year-old survey done by Rasmussen , in the wake of President Barack Obama's decision last week to delay the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to Texas for environmental reasons, 59 percent of likely U.S. voters said that -- generally speaking -- job creation was more important than environmental protection. Twenty-nine percent said protecting the environment was more important.



* In March, Gallup found that 47 percent of respondents to a poll it conducted felt like it was more important for America to emphasize energy production, while 44 percent stated that environmental protection deserved emphasis.



* The importance to the two issues was skewed by political party, Gallup showed, with more Republicans in favor of energy production and more Democrats in favor of environmental protection. Independents were split on the matter, with 49 percent in favor of an increased emphasis on environmental protection, and 41 percent in favor of more importance placed on energy production.



* A March survey from Rasmussen showed that 57 percent of respondents favored the used of fracking in order to find more U.S. oil and gas, while only 22 percent of the participants said they were opposed to the process.





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