Support for Offshore Drilling Rebounds While Support for Nuclear Power Plummets

According to polls conducted by The Pew Research Center, public support for offshore drilling has been steadily increasing. Last month, 57% of respondents favored allowing more gas and oil drilling, which is up 13 points since last June. However, support for offshore drilling has not yet reached levels seen before the April 2010 spill in the Gulf of Mexico, after which support was as low as 44%. It is speculated that the rebound in support for drilling might be due to recent increases in gas prices.



While public support or offshore drilling has been increasing, support for increased nuclear power has been declining. According to poll results from The Pew Research Center, 39% were in favor of increased nuclear power use last month, which is down from 47% in favor last October. This decline in support could be correlated with the ongoing nuclear emergency in Japan.


References:

Pew Center on the States, Opposition to Nuclear Power Rises Amid Japanese Crisis, Support for Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling Rebounds (Washington, DC: The Pew Charitable Trusts, March 2011).


Posted by Brittany