51% of Californians back offshore drilling [View All]

[BadgerKid]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/31/MNHL122B1T.DTL


(07-30) 22:28 PDT San Francisco -- A majority of Californians favor more oil drilling off the coast, according to a statewide survey released Wednesday, for the first time since oil prices spiked nearly three decades ago.

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Those surveyed overwhelmingly support state requirements to reduce greenhouse gases by increasing the use of renewable energy from solar and wind sources and requiring carmakers, refineries and utilities to initiate tougher controls on emissions.

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In answer to an open-ended question about the state's most important environmental problem, after air pollution, people listed gas prices, energy and oil drilling, global warming and the loss of forests and wildfires. For the first time, worry over gas prices took a jump, from 1 percent last year to 12 percent this year.


More support among GOP

But the biggest single factor in the change in attitude to drilling, he said, is "much more political support among Republican voters for offshore oil drilling than there was a year ago. The Republicans are hearing both from the president and the presidential nominee, who are making the case that drilling is good for economic and national security."

Republicans account for the greatest jump in support of offshore oil drilling, with 77 percent in favor, compared with 60 percent in the same poll last year. Democrats increased support to 35 percent in favor from 29 percent last year. Independents shifted to 44 percent in support compared with 33 percent in favor last year.

Some suggested that respondents would have answered differently if they had more information.

"The appropriate question is if you knew you could get more energy from efficiency and clean technologies such as solar, wind and geothermal, would you rather do that or drill along our pristine coast and risk harming a multibillion-dollar tourism, fishing and recreation economy," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. She supports a congressional moratorium on exploration off the shores of coastal states.

On Tuesday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was joined by governors of Oregon and Washington in asking for an extension of the moratorium. The governors of Maine, New Jersey and Maryland also want an extension.


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Just two weeks ago, 43% supported drilling (
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3399942 ).