| July 29, 2008 |  |
Poll: Western Voters Support Clean Car Policies
Voters in seven Western states are concerned that gas prices will continue to rise unless urgent action is taken to reduce oil consumption and global warming emissions
SAN DIEGO (July 29, 2008) – An overwhelming majority of voters in seven Western states are concerned that gas prices will continue to rise unless urgent action is taken to reduce oil consumption and global warming emissions, according to a survey released by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) presented today at the last public stakeholder meeting of the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) in San Diego, CA.The poll results reveal strong voter demand for aggressive policies by the WCI to reduce transportation emissions. Eighty-four percent of respondents agree that cars, trucks and other transportation sources should be required to reduce their greenhouse gas pollution along with power plants and factories. Large majorities support state action to reduce global warming pollution by requiring automakers to produce more efficient cars that pollute less and use less gasoline (88 percent) and oil companies to make cleaner fuels (81 percent).
Even if the price of gasoline drops in the short term, 95 percent of voters surveyed in Arizona, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington say that immediate action is needed to avoid a future crisis, and 91 percent say it is critical to end U.S. dependence on oil. Meanwhile, 83 percent of the respondents say that gas prices are going to rise over the long run unless we take action to make our cars and trucks run on less gas, alternative fuels or electricity.
"Voters are demanding that their state leaders move further and faster to reduce our dependence on oil and the global warming emissions that dependency produces," said Patricia Monahan, deputy director for UCS' Clean Vehicles, who will present the poll results and urge policymakers to include transportation solutions under the region's pending plan to reduce global warming pollution. "Our survey found that Westerners astutely understand the need to transition from oil to clean, renewable fuels to avoid a future crisis triggered by escalating gas prices."
While 59 percent of the survey respondents say that current gasoline prices have caused some or great financial hardship, large majorities are concerned with gas prices now (94 percent), gas prices in the future (93 percent), U.S. dependency on oil (94 percent), and a lack of a plan to transition from oil (89 percent).
Seventy-six percent of the respondents who are planning to buy a car or light truck say they are likely to shop for an alternative fuel vehicle, a hybrid or a vehicle that gets high gas mileage. Majorities in most states—while region wide slightly less than half of total respondents—support a significant increase in gas prices (as much as 50 cents per gallon) to invest in energy efficiency and alternative fuels. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents (63 percent) support new fees on oil companies to be used for improving public transportation.
UCS recommends that the WCI establish a cap on emissions from transportation and implement policies to get cleaner cars and fuels in the hands of western consumers.
The survey was commissioned by UCS, funded by the Energy Foundation, and conducted by David Binder Research, which polled 2003 voters in the seven states from July 19 to 23. The poll has a 2.2 percent margin of error.
Western States Poll Results (.ppt)
Western States Poll Results (.pdf)
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.
