What had been growing acceptance of nuclear power in the United States was eroded sharply following the 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents, with public support for building nuclear power plants in the U.S. dropping slightly lower than it was immediately after the Three Mile Island accident in 1979. Support had been at an all-time high of 69 percent in 1977, according to polling by the "New York Times" and CBS News. 43 percent of those polled after the Fukushima nuclear emergency said they would approve building new power plants in the United States. This represents a decline from a high of 57 percent in July 2008.