Stunning New Survey Shows Americans Oppose Expensive-Energy Bill

by William Yeatman on May 18, 2009

in Blog

A stunning survey commissioned by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association reveals that Americans overwhelmingly oppose expensive energy policies like the American Clean Energy and Security Act, the Waxman-Markey climate change mitigation bill.

You can download a memo on the survey results.

You can also download a graphic representation of the survey.

Below is a brief summary:

  • 78% of all respondents saying a $50 increase monthly in utility bills would be a hardship.  A recent MIT study said household costs could exceed $3000 per year, or 5 times as much overall costs the $50 per month/$600 per year would mean.
  • 58% of respondents say they are unwilling to pay any more than they currently pay for electricity to combat climate change.
  • Respondents are aware that climate change legislation will likely cause their electricity rates to go up.
  • In addition, one-half (50%) of the country opposes enacting a carbon tax to fund energy research, which represents an amazing 49-point shift (22% drop in agree; 27% increase in disagree) away from supporting a carbon tax for energy research in 2007.
  • Interest in protecting the environment and fighting climate change has dropped from a low priority (8%) in 2007 to receiving virtually no attention (3%) in 2009.

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