NEW AMERICAN ENERGY OPPORTUNITY FOUNDATION STATEWIDE SURVEY ON ENERGY OHIO

Transcription

1 NEW AMERICAN ENERGY OPPORTUNITY FOUNDATION STATEWIDE SURVEY ON ENERGY OHIO Statewide Survey in OH of 503 Registered Voters Kellyanne Conway, President & CEO

2 Survey Methodology 2 Interviews conducted August 15-20, 2012 Survey conducted using live callers at a Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) facility Statewide sample was drawn from registered voter lists. Respondents screened to ensure registration to vote. Sampling controls used to ensure proportionate and representative number of interviews across gender, age, racial/ethnic, and regional lines. Survey data were weighted slightly to ensure a representative sample. Some questions have been shortened in this presentation due to space constraints. For complete question wording, please see the topline report. Percentages may not add up due to rounding. Margin of error is +4.4%. Margins of error for subgroups are higher.

3 Energy An Abundant Opportunity 3 ans view the nation s energy situation more as one of abundance and opportunity than crisis and scarcity. Energy connotes promise and progress, and covers issues that concern them most: jobs and the economy, cost of living and security. Americans are open and enthusiastic about the opportunities for domestic energy gas production, especially if it leads to lower fuel prices and local jobs. Majorities favor all kinds of development tested including Hydraulic Fracturing (fracking), federal land leasing, and building the Keystone XL Pipeline. Voters want to develop energy alternatives, like wind and solar, but are solidly against government favoritism and price inflation of fossil fuels to make them more economically viable.

4 voters see America s energy situation as an opportunity rather than a crisis. 4 Please tell me which one you agree with more % % 23% 52% 43% Do Not Know Strongly Person 2 Somewhat Person 2 Somewhat Person 1 Strongly Person 1 Person 1: America is in a period of energy scarcity and crisis. Person 2: America is in a period of energy opportunity and abundance.

5 An overwhelming majority believe we should be increasing domestic production of oil and natural gas. 5 Do you support or oppose this policy? % 23% 6% 6% 86% 11% 36% 33% 9% Increasing domestic oil Leasing more federal land and natural gas production for energy exploration and development Tri-Partisan Issue Supported by: 98% of Republicans 85% of Independents 78% of Obama Voters 76% of Democrats 69% of Liberals 69% 26% 28% 11% 18% 22% 58% 33% Hydraulic Fracturing or Fracking is a process that uses water to get oil and natural gas located in tight shale rock one to two miles beneath the earth. Do Not Know Strongly Support Somewhat Support Somewhat Oppose Strongly Oppose

6 By nearly a two-to-one margin, favors the Keystone XL Pipeline. 6 Please tell me which one you agree with more % % 19% 44% 32% 63% Do Not Know Strongly Person 2 Somewhat Person 2 Somewhat Person 1 Strongly Person 1 Person 1: The U.S. State Department estimates the pipeline would create over 5,000 jobs and an independent report estimated the pipeline could supply 5% of our country s energy needs. We should build the Keystone Pipeline. Person 2: The Keystone Pipeline may harm the environment and does not decrease our dependence on oil. We should not build the Keystone Pipeline.

7 Why Do Voters Support Increased Oil and Natural Gas Exploration? 7 They strongly believe increased domestic oil and natural gas production is tied to: More jobs and a stronger economy Stronger national security Lower consumer energy prices

8 Strong majorities of voters agree on a variety of benefits from domestic oil development and different political factions are in agreement % 64% 28% 22% 8% 5% 4% 9% An affordable, abundant domestic energy supply in the U.S. is key to improving our overall economy and creating jobs. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? 89% 85% 13% Increasing domestic energy production would reduce our reliance on foreign oil sources and help our national security. 64% 22% 8% 4% 18% Increasing domestic energy production in the U.S. would reduce the price we pay for gas, heating fuel and other energy. Do Not Know Strongly Agree Somewhat Agree Somewhat Disagree Strongly Disagree Independents: 87% Obama Supporters: 83% Democrats: 84% Liberals: 82% Supported by: Independents: 85% Obama Supporters: 75% Democrats: 74% Liberals: 71% Independents: Obama Supporters: Democrats: 71% Liberals: 69%

9 The majority of ans would welcome energy companies to their area that brought local jobs. 9 On a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 means completely disagree and 10 means completely agree, how much do you agree with the statement I would welcome American oil and natural gas companies coming into my area to develop energy resources if it were proved that it would create local jobs and help the local economy % 33% 13% Agree (8-10) Neutral (4-7) Disagree (1-3)

10 Nearly three-quarters want society focused on jobs and the economy, not government Which of the following do you prefer? 9% 53% 9% 9% 72% 18% Neither/Do Not Know Greatly Prefer B - Smaller Gov't, Larger Economy Somewhat Prefer B - Smaller Gov't, Larger Economy Somewhat Prefer A - Larger Gov't, Smaller Economy Greatly Prefer A - Larger Gov't, Smaller Economy A: A society with a larger government, more government services but a smaller economy and fewer jobs. B: A society with a larger economy and more jobs but smaller government and fewer government services.

11 Lower natural gas prices are most likely to be memorable to voters. 11 What is the most memorable thing from the information I just shared with you? Fracking contributed to decrease in natural gas prices 6 since 2006 Fracking has been used safely in the US for 60 years 85% of current domestic drilling uses fracking Half of current domestic energy production is a result of fracking 34% 28% 6% 4% Other 7% All of it is memorable 5% Nothing is memorable 5% Do Not Know 11%

12 12 voters see a variety of drawbacks from restricting domestic energy development but dependence on foreign energy is the most popular. Which of the following do you think comes from placing restrictions on the development of American oil and natural gas here in the U.S.? You may select all that apply. Dependence on foreign nations for energy 32% Higher gas and energy prices 25% Lower tax revenue from the oil and gas companies 23% Poor economic conditions Fewer American jobs 18% All of the above 25% None of the above 8% Do Not Know 7% Refused 2%

13 What about alternative energy? 13 Voters in see alternative energy as important to develop but understand the technology isn t ready for the bulk of our consumption gas and oil are still important. The state is split on whether they can personally afford to pay more and if taxpayer funds should be used to boost private alternative companies. wants candidates who support domestic oil and natural gas production and fair competition between energy companies without government price fixing.

14 Only one in five think alternative energy can currently power our country the majority judge that we still need oil and natural gas. 14 Please tell me which one you agree with more % 27% 9% 11% 76% Do Not Know Strongly Person 2 Somewhat Person 2 Somewhat Person 1 Strongly Person 1 Person 1: Alternative energy sources can now produce enough energy to power our entire lives at a reasonable cost we do not need to continue using oil and natural gas. Person 2: Alternative energy sources may be important to develop as a back-up power source for the future, but it cannot now meet all of our energy needs at a reasonable cost we still need oil and natural gas.

15 Voters in are split on paying more for alternative energy sources. 15 Please tell me which one you agree with more % % 28% 47% 48% Do Not Know Strongly Person 2 Somewhat Person 2 Somewhat Person 1 Strongly Person 1 Person 1: Alternative energy sources like wind and solar power are good ideas, but they are too expensive and I can t afford them. Person 2: It is important we start using alternative energy sources like wind and solar power and I am personally willing to pay more to use them.

16 16 There is a slight majority of support for taxpayer funding of alternative energy companies. Those who oppose are stronger in their beliefs. Do you support or oppose this policy? Using hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars to fund private alternative energy companies, like those producing wind and solar energy % 53% 6 17% Do Not Know 5 22% 31% 43% Strongly Support Somewhat Support Somewhat Oppose Strongly Oppose

17 Although there is a base level of support for alternative energy, voters firmly do not want the government to be picking winners and losers in the industry. 17 Please tell me which candidate you would be more likely to vote for % % Do Not Know Much More Likely Candidate B 13% 24% Somewhat More Likely Candidate B Somewhat More Likely Candidate A Much More Likely Candidate A Candidate A says speeding up development of alternative energy is important enough for the government to artificially raise the price of oil and natural gas to encourage development and use of alternatives. Developing renewable energy is important enough for the government to help its progress through taxpayer funded loans to private companies. Candidate B says alternative energy is important but the government should not artificially raise the price of oil and natural gas to make alternatives economically viable. Developing renewable energy is important but the government should not be able to pick winners and losers in the market place.

18 Voters are opposed to candidates who would limit oil and natural gas production Please tell me which candidate you would be more likely to vote for. 26% 13% 15% 66% Do Not Know Much More Likely Candidate B 28% Somewhat More Likely Candidate B Somewhat More Likely Candidate A Much More Likely Candidate A Candidate A says the focus of U.S. energy policy should be to maximize the speed at which alternative energy can completely replace oil and natural gas. Candidate A wants to limit the new development of oil and natural gas in the United States. Candidate B says the focus of U.S. energy policy should be to maximize domestic energy production from all sources including oil and natural gas. Candidate B supports the increased development of oil and natural gas in the United States.

19 Resonating Messages 19 Simple facts and figures about the benefits of U.S. oil and natural gas production make voters more likely to support increased production. More complicated and number heavy messages are less effective that simple, straightforward lexicon.

20 Relating energy to new jobs and lower prices is most attractive to voters. 20 Tell me if it makes you more or less likely to support increased development of domestic oil and natural gas. Thanks to technological innovation, the total amount of recoverable oil in the United States, including offshore, has increased from 140 billion in 2000 to 1.44 trillion in However, over 90 percent of that supply is currently blocked from developmen 37% 16% 33% 25% 52% 55% 28% 8% Federal land leasing for energy production is down 5 from the level it was at under President Bill Clinton 13% 27% 28% 11% Much Less Likely New Federal lands leased for oil and natural gas development have decreased from 12 million acres 25 years ago to just under 2 million acres today. Opening up federal lands would bring in hundreds of billions of revenue for the Federal Government. The switch from coal to natural gas use for electricity made possible by fracking is a significant reason the United States has lowered its carbon emissions from its energy sector by 9% since in just five years. In the last five years the United States has reduced the share of oil it imports from 66% to 44%, in large part through technology advances like hydraulic fracturing. 34% 14% 19% 29% 14% 15% 26% 11% 15% 59% 26% 62% 32% 68% 33% 33% 35% 6% 7% 5% Somewhat Less Likely Somewhat More Likely Much More Likely Do Not Know A recent study concluded that opening up all offshore areas for oil and natural gas development currently closed by the federal government would create 1.1 million new jobs 22% 11% 12% 25% 73% 48% 4% 5 10