A new national poll finds that the vast majority of U.S. consumers support an expansion of energy projects as a way to boost job growth among American workers. The poll also revealed that most consumers are pessimistic about the health of the economy, and the vast majority support expanding energy initiatives as a way to boost economic growth.
A nationwide telephone survey of 1,000 Americans, sponsored by the American Consumer Institute Center for Citizen Research (ACI), shows that 89% of consumers favor expanding the number of energy projects in the U.S. The survey also found that 94% of consumers believe that having more U.S. energy production would be better for the overall economy, and 93% believe that investing in more U.S. energy projects will create more jobs.
The survey found widespread pessimism in the economy, with 92% of all Americans describing the U.S. economy as weak, with over half (58%) believing that the U.S. economy is very weak.
ACI's senior fellow and survey research expert Anne Danehy says that the numbers were not a surprise.
‘Our survey confirmed what we suspected," she notes. "Americans see us having a weak economy, and they are looking for ways to put Americans back to work and rebuild our economy. Americans see a connection between U.S. energy projects and jobs.’
In addition to creating jobs, Americans also believe that investing in more U.S. energy production will decrease the country's dependence on foreign energy (82%) and lower energy prices (68%) for consumers.
‘Regulatory gridlock is hurting the U.S. economy, and this survey shows that consumer interests are not being well served,’ Steve Pociask, president of ACI, says, citing a national study that found high regulations and legal challenges to be responsible for canceling or delaying hundreds of U.S. energy projects.
According to the survey, energy projects garnering the most support for expansion included wind, solar, natural gas and alternative fuels – more than three-quarters of U.S. voters support U.S. expansion of these energy projects.
More details on the study can be found here.
