From: tgray@igc.apc.org (Tom Gray)
Newsgroups: talk.environment
Subject: --Public Backs Renewables
Date: 11 Sep 92 15:50:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1483100119:000:3601
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!tgray    Sep 11 08:50:00 1992


From: Tom Gray <tgray>
Subject: --Public Backs Renewables

/* Written  5:27 pm  Sep  9, 1992 by tgray in cdp:en.energy */
/* ---------- "--Public Backs Renewables" ---------- */
NEW POLL SHOWS PUBLIC BACKS
RENEWABLES, OPPOSES NUCLEAR

According to a new national poll, three out of five Americans (62
percent) believe renewable energy or energy efficiency should be
the U.S. government's highest funding priority, while a record high
of 65 percent oppose the building of new nuclear power plants.

The survey was commissioned by the Safe Energy Communication
Council (SECC), a Washington, DC-based anti-nuclear organization,
and conducted by the independent polling firm of
Frederick/Schneiders, Inc.

"Americans are sending another wake-up call to Congress," said
Scott Denman, SECC Executive Director, in a May 20 news release. 
"According to polling results the public wants safe energy . . .
and more than eight out of 10 voters also said they would back
candidates who support more solar and energy efficiency over those
supporting the status quo."

Other findings of the poll, conducted between March 18 and March
21:

o    Sixty-three percent of the public believes that increasing
     power demands over "the next several years" can be met through
     energy efficiency alone, while 28 percent believes that new
     power plants will be needed.

o    When asked to select the energy resource that should be "the
     government's highest priority for meeting our future energy
     needs," 40 percent picked solar and other renewable energy
     sources, outscoring gas, nuclear, oil and coal combined. 
     Twenty-two percent selected energy efficiency.  Traditional
     energy resources received the following levels of support: 
     natural gas, 14 percent; nuclear power, 11 percent; oil, five
     percent; and coal, three percent.

o    Support for renewable energy was lowest, in regional terms, in
     the South and Northeast, at 38 percent, and highest in the
     West, at 45 percent.  By age group, younger respondents (21-
     40) were most supportive, at 43 percent, while those 65 or
     over were least (29 percent).  By political party, those
     describing themselves as independents backed solar most
     strongly (46 percent), followed by Republicans (39 percent)
     and Democrats (33 percent).

o    Nearly four of five respondents (79 percent) oppose
     Congressional efforts to eliminate post-construction safety
     hearings for new nuclear power plants.

For further information, contact the Safe Energy Communication
Council, 1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite LL215, Washington, DC
20036, USA, phone (202) 483-8491.

===============================

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has authorized me to offer
an electronic edition of its newsletter, _Wind Energy Weekly_, from
which the above article is excerpted, at no cost.

For those of you who have not previously seen excerpts from back issues
on Usenet or Bitnet, the _Weekly_ reports on the outlook for renewable
energy, energy-related environmental issues, and renewable energy
legislation in addition to wind industry trade news.  The electronic
edition normally runs about 10kb in length.

If you would like a free electronic subscription, send me an e-mail
request.  Please include information on your position, organization,
and reason for interest in the publication.

*******************************************************************
Tom Gray                                 EcoNet/PeaceNet: tgray@igc
Internet/Bitnet: tgray@igc.apc.org    UUCP: uunet!pyramid!cdp!tgray
Xref: sparky talk.environment:3620 sci.environment:11173 alt.activism:16057 talk.politics.misc:44215