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Energy See also: Environment

George Washington University/Politico Battleground Poll conducted by the Tarrance Group (R) and Lake Research Partners (D). May 8-12, 2011. N=1,000 likely voters nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.1.

"Now, thinking about the economy as a whole, who or what do you think is most to blame for the recent spike in gas prices? Would you say it is oil and gas companies, the Obama administration, Congress, oil exporting nations, OR the economic cycle?" Options rotated

		%
	Oil and gas companies	38
	Oil exporting nations	22
	Obama administration	12
	Economic cycle	11
	Congress	7
	Combination (vol.)	3
	All of the above (vol.)	2
	None (vol.)	4
	Unsure/Refused	3

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. April 29-May 1, 2011. N=1,034 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"Now, thinking about the cost of gasoline, would you say the country is in a state of crisis, has major problems, has minor problems, or has no problems at all?"

		State of crisis	Major problems	Minor problems	No problems at all
		%	%	%	%
	4/29 - 5/1/11	16	66	18	1
	6/4-5/08	24	59	16	2

"As a result of the recent rise in gas prices, would you say you have or have not done each of the following? . . ."

		Have	Have not	Unsure
		%	%	%

	"Cut back significantly on how much you drive"
	4/29 - 5/1/11	63	36	2
	6/4-5/08	66	33	-
	5/5-7/06	59	39	2

	"Seriously considered getting a more fuel-efficient car the next time you buy a vehicle"
	4/29 - 5/1/11	61	38	2
	6/4-5/08	71	29	-
	5/5-7/06	60	36	4

	"Cut back significantly on your household spending because of higher gas prices"
	4/29 - 5/1/11	58	42	-
	6/4-5/08	55	44	-
	5/5-7/06	49	50	1

	"Changed your summer vacation plans"
	4/29 - 5/1/11	39	60	1

"Which would worry you more: if gas prices rose significantly but you could buy gas whenever you wanted to without waiting in long lines, or if gas prices remained steady but you had to wait in long lines to buy gas or could only buy it on certain days?"

		Higher prices/ No lines	Stable prices/ Long lines	Both/ Neither (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	4/29 - 5/1/11	35	58	5	2
	6/4-5/08	40	55	4	1
	8/2-3/06	37	52	9	2

"Please tell me whether you think each of the following deserves a great deal of blame, some blame, not much blame, or no blame at all for the recent increase in gas prices. . . ."

		A great deal	Some	Not much	None at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%

	"Oil companies"
	4/29 - 5/1/11	61	27	5	7	-

	"Speculators and other investors who buy and sell oil in the financial markets around the world"
	4/29 - 5/1/11	59	31	5	4	1

	"Foreign countries that produce oil"
	4/29 - 5/1/11	42	39	9	8	1

	"The violence and unrest in many countries in the Middle East"
	4/29 - 5/1/11	40	40	9	10	1

	"The policies of the Obama administration"
	4/29 - 5/1/11	25	36	16	21	2

	"The policies of the Republicans in Congress"
	4/29 - 5/1/11	24	42	16	16	2

	"Environmental regulations"
	4/29 - 5/1/11	24	37	16	21	1

	"The driving habits of American consumers"
	4/29 - 5/1/11	21	41	16	22	-

"Do you think oil companies as a whole are making too much profit, a reasonable profit, or not enough profit?"

		Too much	Reasonable	Not enough	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	4/29 - 5/1/11	77	22	1	1
	4/28-30/08	83	13	3	1

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. April 14-17, 2011. N=1,001 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.5.

"Have recent price increases in gasoline caused any financial hardship for you or others in your household, or not?"

		Yes	No
		%	%
	4/14-17/11	71	28
	3/10-13/11	71	29
	7/23-28/08	72	28
	6/12-15/08	77	23
	5/8-11/08	63	37
	4/10-13/08	67	32
	5/17-21/07	58	42
	4/12-15/07	67	33
	7/14-19/06	60	39
	5/11-15/06	57	43
	4/6-9/06	70	30
	9/8-11/05	64	36
	8/25-28/05	66	34
	8/18-21/05	53	47
	4/21-24/05	64	36
	3/20/05	57	43
	5/20-23/04	64	36
	4/04	54	46
	4/02	53	47
	4/01	48	52

"In general, would you favor or oppose building more nuclear power plants at this time?" Half sample

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/14-17/11	33	64	3
	7/23-28/08	44	53	3
	6/2-5/05	34	64	2
	6/01	42	52	6
	4/01	37	59	4
	3/90	22	76	2
	5/86	19	78	3
	4/86	28	68	4
	1/85	26	67	6
	4/83	27	65	8

"Would you favor or oppose building a nuclear power plant within 50 miles of your home?" Half sample

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/14-17/11	30	67	3

"Do you think nuclear power plants generally are a safe source of energy or not?"

		Safe	Unsafe	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/14-17/11	53	43	4
	5/86	42	53	5

"You may have heard about the problems at a pair of nuclear power plants in Japan. Has this incident made you more confident in the safety of nuclear power plants in the United States, less confident, or has it not affected your confidence one way or the other?"

		More	Less	Not affected	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	4/14-17/11	6	42	51	1

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. April 9-10, 2011. N=824 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.5.

"How do you feel about increased drilling for oil and natural gas offshore in U.S. waters? Do you strongly favor, mildly favor, mildly oppose or strongly oppose increased offshore drilling?"

		Strongly favor	Mildly favor	Mildly oppose	Strongly oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	4/9-10/11	45	24	15	16	-
	6/16/10	26	23	17	34	-
	5/21-23/10	27	30	16	25	1
	8/29-31/08	52	22	11	13	1
	7/27-29/08	46	23	12	18	-
	6/26-29/08	48	25	15	12	1

"Now here are a few questions about the major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last year. Based on what you have read or heard, do you think the Gulf of Mexico has or has not completely recovered from the effect of last year's oil spill?"

		Has completely recovered	Has not completely recovered	Unsure
		%	%	%
	4/9-10/11	11	87	2

"Now here are a few questions about the major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last year. Based on what you have read or heard, do you think the Gulf of Mexico has or has not completely recovered from the effect of last year's oil spill?" If has not completely recovered: "Do you think the Gulf of Mexico will ever completely recover from the effects of the oil spill?" Combined responses.

		Has completely recovered	Will completely recover	Will never completely recover	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	4/9-10/11	11	51	36	3

"How confident are you that the federal government can prevent another oil spill as big as the one in the Gulf of Mexico: very confident, somewhat confident, not very confident, or not confident at all?"

		Very confident	Somewhat confident	Not very confident	Not confident at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	4/9-10/11	7	34	29	28	1
	5/21-23/10	7	30	31	31	1

AP-GfK Poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Corporate Communications. March 24-28, 2011. N=1,001 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4.2.

"In general, would you favor or oppose building more nuclear power plants at this time?"

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/24-28/11	39	60	1
	11/17-29/09	49	48	3

"How likely do you think it is that a nuclear emergency like the one that has happened in Japan could happen in the United States: extremely likely, very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely or not at all likely?"

		Extremely likely	Very likely	Somewhat likely	Not too likely	Not at all likely
		%	%	%	%	%
	3/24-28/11	14	15	36	26	9

"If such an emergency were to happen in a U.S. nuclear power plant, how confident are you that the U.S. government is prepared to handle such an emergency: extremely confident, very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident or not at all confident?"

		Extremely confident	Very confident	Somewhat confident	Not too confident	Not at all confident
		%	%	%	%	%
	3/24-28/11	9	18	41	19	13

Gallup Poll. March 25-27, 2011. N=1,027 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4.

"Overall, do you think President Obama is or is not doing enough to solve the country's energy problems?"

		Is	Is not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/25-27/11	28	65	6

"Which comes closer to your view about increasing the number of nuclear power plants in the country? Nuclear power is necessary to help solve the country's current energy problems. OR, The dangers of nuclear power are too great, even if it would help solve the country's current energy problems." Options rotated. N=500 (Form A), MoE ą 5.

		Necessary	Dangers are too great	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/25-27/11	46	48	6
	5/18-20/01	49	46	5

"Generally speaking, do you think nuclear power plants in the United States are safe or not safe?" N=527 (Form B), MoE ą 5

		Safe	Not safe	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/25-27/11	58	36	6

CBS News Poll. March 18-21, 2011. N=1,022 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"All in all, do you think the benefits of nuclear power outweigh the risks, or not?"

		Outweigh the risks	Do not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/18-21/11	47	38	15

"Have recent price increases in gasoline caused any financial hardship for you or others in your household, or not?" If yes: "Has that been a serious hardship, or not serious?"

		Yes: Serious	Yes: Not serious	No	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	3/18-21/11	43	31	26	0
	2/11-14/11	29	23	47	1
	8/15-19/08	35	33	31	-
	7/7-14/08	34	31	35	-
	5/30 - 6/3/08	36	29	34	1

"Is the price of gasoline something a president can do a lot about, or is that beyond any president's control?"

		Can do a lot	Cannot	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/18-21/11	50	41	9

"Would you approve or disapprove of building more nuclear power plants to generate electricity?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/18-21/11	43	50	7
	7/08	57	34	9
	4/20-24/07	45	47	8
	6/01	51	42	7

"Would you approve or disapprove if a nuclear power plant to generate electricity is built in your community?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/18-21/11	35	62	3
	4/20-24/07	36	59	5
	6/01	40	55	5

"How concerned are you that a major accident might occur at a nuclear power plant in the United States? Would you say you are very concerned, somewhat concerned, not very concerned, or not at all concerned?"

		Very concerned	Somewhat concerned	Not very concerned	Not at all concerned	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	3/18-21/11	31	34	26	8	1

"Generally speaking, do you think the nuclear power plants that are in operation in the United States today are safe, or do you think they are not safe?"

		Safe	Not safe	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/18-21/11	69	22	9

"Do you think the federal government is adequately prepared to deal with a major nuclear accident in the United States, or not?"

		Prepared	Not prepared	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/18-21/11	35	58	7

"How concerned are you that radiation from Japan could harm people living in the United States? Would you say you are you very concerned, somewhat concerned, not very concerned, or not at all concerned?"

		Very concerned	Somewhat concerned	Not very concerned	Not at all concerned
		%	%	%	%
	3/18-21/11	17	32	29	22

"Have the recent events concerning the damaged nuclear power plant in Japan made you more fearful about a nuclear accident happening in this country, or haven't they?"

		More fearful	Not more fearful	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/18-21/11	44	53	3

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. March 18-20, 2011. N=1,012 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"Generally speaking, do you approve or disapprove of using nuclear energy to produce electric power?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/18-20/11	57	42	1

"Do you favor or oppose building more nuclear power plants in this country?"

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/18-20/11	46	53	1
	3/19-21/10	50	47	3

"And what about existing nuclear power plants in this country that have already been built and are currently in operation? Do you think any of the existing nuclear power plants in this country should be permanently shut down or do you think all of them should continue to operate?"

		Shut down	Continue to operate	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/18-20/11	27	68	4

"Would building a new nuclear power plant in your community be acceptable or unacceptable to you?"

		Acceptable	Unacceptable	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/18-20/11	39	60	1

"If the development of nuclear power were to be reduced in the immediate years ahead, we would have to rely on other sources of energy such as coal and oil, which in turn could increase the amount of money the consumer would have to pay for electricity. Would you, yourself, be willing to pay higher prices for electricity in order to reduce the nation's dependency on nuclear power, or not?"

		Willing	Not willing	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/18-20/11	38	60	3

"All in all, from what you have heard or read, how safe are nuclear power plants that produce electric power: very safe, somewhat safe, or not so safe?"

		Very safe	Somewhat safe	Not so safe	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	3/18-20/11	28	51	20	1

"Thinking specifically about the nuclear power plants in areas of the U.S. that are close to the ocean or areas that have had earthquakes in the past. Do you think those nuclear power plants are very safe, somewhat safe, or not very safe?"

		Very safe	Somewhat safe	Not very safe	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	3/18-20/11	12	42	45	1

"And if a nuclear power plant in the U.S. experienced severe damage due to an accident or natural disaster, how much confidence would you have in the federal government's ability to handle that situation: a great deal of confidence, a moderate amount, not much, or none at all?"

		A great deal	A moderate amount	Not much	None at all
		%	%	%	%
	3/18-20/11	18	49	24	9

"How likely is it that a dangerous amount of radiation from the damaged nuclear power plants in Japan would reach Hawaii, Alaska, or the West Coast of the continental United States? Do you think that is very likely, somewhat likely, somewhat unlikely, or very unlikely?"

		Very likely	Somewhat likely	Somewhat unlikely	Very unlikely	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	3/18-20/11	14	39	23	23	1

"And how likely is it that a dangerous amount of radiation from the damaged nuclear power plants in Japan would reach the area where you live? Do you think that is very likely, somewhat likely, somewhat unlikely, or very unlikely?"

		Very likely	Somewhat likely	Somewhat unlikely	Very unlikely
		%	%	%	%
	3/18-20/11	5	17	18	60

"In thinking about this country's future energy needs, which of these energy sources do you think we should rely on more and which should we rely on less? . . ."

		More	Less	Unsure
		%	%	%

	"Solar power"
	3/18-20/11	88	11	-

	"Wind power"
	3/18-20/11	83	17	1

	"Natural gas"
	3/18-20/11	70	29	1

	"Coal"
	3/18-20/11	43	56	1

	"Nuclear power"
	3/18-20/11	42	57	1

	"Oil"
	3/18-20/11	28	71	1

"When government and private companies make policy decisions concerning the kind of generating plants that produce electricity and the fuel those plants would use, please tell me whether you think each of the following should be extremely important, very important, moderately important, or not that important. . . ."

		Extremely important	Very important	Moderately important	Not that important	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%

	"Safety considerations at the power plants and the areas surrounding them"
	3/18-20/11	34	57	8	1	-

	"Reducing the country's dependence on foreign sources of oil"
	3/18-20/11	34	55	7	4	-

	"Reducing pollution and the risk of other damage to the environment"
	3/18-20/11	27	53	17	2	-

	"Keeping prices for electricity at current levels"
	3/18-20/11	22	46	25	5	1

Pew Research Center survey. March 17-20, 2011. N=1,004 adults nationwide. MoE ą 4.

"As I read some possible government policies to address America's energy supply, tell me whether you would favor or oppose each. First, would you favor or oppose the government [see below]?"

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%

	"Allowing more offshore oil and gas drilling in U.S. waters"
	3/17-20/11	57	37	6
	10/13-18/10	51	41	7
	6/16-20/10	44	52	4
	5/6-9/10	54	38	8
	2/3-9/10	63	31	6
	4/14-21/09	68	27	5
	9/08	67	28	5

	"Promoting the increased use of nuclear power"
	3/17-20/11	39	52	8
	10/13-18/10	45	44	11
	6/16-20/10	47	47	6
	5/6-9/10	45	44	11
	2/3-9/10	52	41	7

	"Increasing federal funding for research on wind, solar and hydrogen technology"
	3/17-20/11	74	21	5
	5/6-9/10	73	22	5

	"Providing tax incentives for those who buy hybrid or electric cars, trucks and SUVs"
	3/17-20/11	58	35	7
	10/13-18/10	60	34	7

	"Spending more on subway, rail and bus systems"
	3/17-20/11	61	34	6
	5/6-9/10	65	28	7

"In your opinion, are nuclear power plants in the United States designed to be safer than the ones in Japan, less safe, or about as safe?"

		Safer	Less safe	About as safe	None are safe (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	3/17-20/11	24	10	53	1	12

Fox News Poll conducted by Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R). March 14-16, 2011. N=913 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"Do you believe nuclear power is a safe source of energy?"

		Yes	No	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/14-16/11	51	40	9
	6/17-18/08	53	34	13

"Has the current situation in Japan made you less likely to support using nuclear energy as a power source here in the United States, or has it not made a difference to how you feel?" If less likely: "Is that much less or just somewhat less likely?"

		Much less likely	Somewhat less likely	Not made a difference	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	3/14-16/11	19	18	60	3

USA Today/Gallup Poll. March 15, 2011. N=1,004 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4. Interviews conducted as part of Gallup Daily tracking.

"Do you favor or oppose the construction of nuclear power plants in the United States?"

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/15/11	44	47	9

"Have the recent events in Japan made you a lot more concerned, a little more concerned, or not more concerned about a nuclear disaster occurring in the United States?" N=486 (Form 2), MoE ą 5

		A lot more concerned	A little more concerned	Not more concerned	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	3/15/11	39	31	27	3

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. March 11-13, 2011. N=1,023 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"Have recent price increases in gasoline caused any financial hardship for you or your household?"

		Yes	No	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/11-13/11	64	36	-
	9/5-7/08	63	37	-
	7/27-29/08	75	25	-
	4/28-30/08	60	39	-
	3/14-16/08	72	28	-
	11/2-4/07	63	37	-
	4/10-12/07	66	33	2
	8/2-3/06	65	34	-
	5/5-7/06	65	34	1
	4/21-23/06	69	28	1

"Would you favor or oppose using the U.S. government's Strategic Petroleum Reserve to put more oil and gas on the market to combat the increase in fuel costs?"

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/11-13/11	56	38	6

CBS News Poll. Feb. 11-14, 2011. N=1,031 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"How much do higher prices for gasoline affect you personally: a lot, some, not much, or not at all?"

		A lot	Some	Not much	Not at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	2/11-14/11	59	23	10	7	1
	7/21-25/06	59	28	10	3	0
	5/4-8/06	58	29	9	3	0
	9/9-13/05	57	29	9	5	0
	8/29-31/05	62	26	8	4	0
	4/05	63	25	8	4	0
	5/04	56	29	11	4	0

USA Today/Gallup Poll. Jan. 14-16, 2011. N=1,032 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4.

"I'm going to read a list of actions Congress could take this year. Please say whether you strongly favor, favor, oppose or strongly oppose Congress doing each of the following this year. How about pass an energy bill that . . . ?"

		Strongly favor	Favor	Oppose	Strongly oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%

	"Provides incentives for using solar and other alternative energy sources"
	1/14-16/11	47	36	10	5	1

	"Expands drilling and exploration for oil and gas"
	1/14-16/11	32	33	18	15	2

CBS News Poll. Aug. 20-24, 2010. N=1,082 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.

"How confident are you that BP will fairly compensate those affected by the oil spill in the Gulf: very confident, somewhat confident, not very confident, or not at all confident?"

		Very confident	Somewhat confident	Not very confident	Not at all confident	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	8/20-24/10	10	34	31	22	3
	7/9-12/10	8	32	33	25	2

"From what you know, is the environmental damage caused by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico so severe that the wildlife, like fish and birds, may never recover, OR is the damage severe but the wildlife will eventually recover, OR is the damage not all that severe?"

		May never recover	Eventually recover	Not all that severe	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	8/20-24/10	20	71	5	4

"From what you know, is the economic damage caused by the oil spill so severe that the Gulf coast economy, including businesses like fishing and tourism, may never recover, Or is the economic damage severe but the Gulf coast economy will recover, or is the damage not all that severe?"

		May never recover	Eventually recover	Not all that severe	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	8/20-24/10	16	79	4	1

"In the long run, which do you think will have caused more hardship for the Gulf residents: Hurricane Katrina or the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?"

		Katrina	Oil spill	Depends (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	8/20-24/10	44	49	2	5

AP-GfK Poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media. Aug. 11-16, 2010. N=1,007 adults nationwide. MoE ą 4.5.

"And please tell me if you approve, disapprove or neither approve nor disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling each of the following issues. How about [see below]?" If unsure: "If you had to choose, do you lean more toward approving or disapproving of the way Barack Obama is handling [see below]?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Neither
		%	%	%
	"Energy"
	8/11-16/10	47	43	10
	6/9-14/10	52	36	12
	5/7-11/10	52	36	11
	4/7-12/10	51	36	13

	"Gas prices"
	8/11-16/10	39	40	21
	6/9-14/10	40	37	23
	5/7-11/10	33	47	19
	4/7-12/10	33	46	21

"Do you favor, oppose, or neither favor nor oppose increasing drilling for oil and gas in coastal areas around the United States?"

		Favor	Oppose	Neither	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	8/11-16/10	48	36	15	1
	6/9-14/10	45	41	13	1
	5/7-11/10	50	38	10	1

"Which is more important to you as you think about increasing drilling for oil and gas in coastal areas around the United States? The need for the U.S. to provide its own sources of energy. The need to protect the environment." Options rotated

		Need for U.S. sources of energy	Need to protect environment	Unsure	Refused
		%	%	%	%
	8/11-16/10	52	45	2	1
	6/9-14/10	50	48	2	-
	5/7-11/10	49	47	3	1

"Overall, please tell me whether you approve, disapprove, or neither approve nor disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico." Includes leaners

		Approve	Disapprove	Neither	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	8/11-16/10	50	49	1	1
	6/9-14/10	45	52	2	1

"Overall, please tell me whether you approve, disapprove or neither approve nor disapprove of the way BP is handling the oil spill that was caused by the rig it was operating in the Gulf of Mexico." Includes leaners

		Approve	Disapprove	Neither	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	8/11-16/10	33	66	1	1
	6/9-14/10	15	83	-	1

"Do you think the federal government's actions in response with [sic] the oil spill have made the situation better, made the situation worse, or have had no real impact on the situation?"

		Better	Worse	No real impact	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	8/11-16/10	32	25	41	3
	6/9-14/10	18	25	56	2

"How much do you think the oil spill will impact you and your family in the next year? Would you say it will impact your family a great deal, a lot, some, only a little, or not at all?"

		A great deal	A lot	Some	Only a little	Not at all
		%	%	%	%	%
	8/11-16/10	12	9	28	29	21
	6/9-14/10	21	19	33	18	8

"How confident are you that it is safe to eat seafood from the areas in the Gulf that were affected by the oil spill . . . ?"

		Extremely confident	Very confident	Somewhat confident	Not too confident	Not confident at all
		%	%	%	%	%
	8/11-16/10	5	7	33	24	31

"How confident are you that the beaches in the areas in the Gulf that were affected by the oil spill are safe for swimming . . . ?"

		Extremely confident	Very confident	Somewhat confident	Not too confident	Not confident at all
		%	%	%	%	%
	8/11-16/10	4	9	30	26	29

Pew Research/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll, sponsored by the Society for Human Resource Management. July 29-Aug. 1, 2010. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ą 4.

"In making decisions about America's energy policies, how important is it for Congress and the president to focus on each of the following goals? Do you think [see below] should be a very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not at all important goal of U.S. energy policy?"

		Very important	Somewhat important	Not too important	Not at all important	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%

	"Keeping energy prices low"
	7/29 - 8/1/10	69	25	4	2	1

	"Reducing our dependence on foreign energy sources"
	7/29 - 8/1/10	69	23	5	2	1

	"Creating jobs within the energy sector"
	7/29 - 8/1/10	64	27	6	3	1

	"Protecting the environment from the effects of energy development and use"
	7/29 - 8/1/10	61	30	7	2	1

"Now I'd like to ask you about some specific energy proposals being considered by Congress. For each, please tell me whether you favor or oppose including this in an energy bill. . . ." 6/10: "... in a comprehensive energy bill. ..."

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%

	"Requirements that utilities produce more energy from wind, solar or other renewable sources"
	7/29 - 8/1/10	78	17	5
	6/10-13/10	87	9	4

	"Expanded exploration and development of coal, oil and gas in the U.S."
	7/29 - 8/1/10	72	23	5
	6/10-13/10	68	26	5

	"Stricter regulations on oil drilling"
	7/29 - 8/1/10	69	26	4

	"Limits on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions"
	7/29 - 8/1/10	65	28	7
	6/10-13/10	66	29	6

	"Incentives for increased development of nuclear power"
	7/29 - 8/1/10	56	36	8
	6/10-13/10	50	42	9

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. July 16-21, 2010. N=1,018 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.

"Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the situation in the Gulf of Mexico?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/16-21/10	45	53	2

"If you had to choose, would you say that the situation in the Gulf of Mexico is under control or is still out of control?"

		Under control	Out of control	Mixed (vol.)
		%	%	%
	7/16-21/10	33	65	2
	6/16/10	7	92	1

"And thinking about how things are going in the Gulf of Mexico, would you say that the situation is getting better, that it has stabilized but is not getting better, or that it is getting worse?"

		Better	Stabilized	Worse
		%	%	%
	7/16-21/10	24	58	18
	6/16/10	14	38	48

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. July 7-11, 2010. N=1,288 adults nationwide. MoE ą 3.5.

"Do you approve or disapprove of the way Obama is handling the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/7-11/10	41	53	5

"Do you support or oppose the current six-month ban on new offshore oil drilling while authorities investigate the cause of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/7-11/10	56	39	5

"After this period, do you think the amount of offshore drilling in U.S. coastal waters should be increased, decreased, or kept about the same as it's been?"

		Increased	Decreased	Kept about the same	Depends (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	7/7-11/10	21	31	44	2	2

"How would you rate the federal government's overall response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico: excellent, good, not so good or poor?"

		Excellent	Good	Not so good	Poor	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	7/7-11/10	4	30	32	33	1
	6/3-6/10	2	26	37	32	3

"How would you rate the oil company BP's overall response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico: excellent, good, not so good or poor?"

		Excellent	Good	Not so good	Poor	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	7/7-11/10	2	17	31	48	1
	6/3-6/10	1	15	27	54	3

"Do you think the federal government should or should not pursue criminal charges against BP and other companies involved in the oil spill?"

		Should	Should not	Depends/Too soon (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	7/7-11/10	56	34	6	4
	6/3-6/10	64	28	4	4

"From what you've seen and heard, do you think that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a major environmental disaster, a serious environmental problem but not a disaster, or is it not too serious an environmental problem?"

		Major disaster	Serious problem	Not too serious
		%	%	%
	7/7-11/10	68	28	3
	6/3-6/10	73	25	2

"How would you describe your feelings about the spill? Are you angry about it, upset but not angry, concerned but not upset, or not concerned?"

		Angry	Upset	Concerned	Not concerned
		%	%	%	%
	7/7-11/10	35	29	33	2

Fox News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. June 29-30, 2010. N=900 registered voters nationwide. MoE ą 3.

"Do you approve or disapprove of how the Obama administration is dealing with the oil spill in the Gulf Coast?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/29-30/10	41	52	7
	6/8-9/10	38	51	11
	5/18-19/10	44	36	20
	5/4-5/10	50	29	21

"Do you approve or disapprove of how British Petroleum, or BP -- the oil company in charge of the oil rig -- is dealing with the oil spill in the Gulf Coast?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/29-30/10	19	73	8
	6/8-9/10	13	79	8

"Do you think the federal government is doing everything it can to stop the oil leak and clean up the damage in the Gulf, or is there more the government could be doing?"

		Doing all it can	Could be doing more	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/29-30/10	24	69	7

"Do you think BP -- the company in charge of the oil rig -- is doing everything it can to stop the oil leak and clean up the damage in the Gulf, or is there more BP could be doing?"

		Doing all it can	Could be doing more	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/29-30/10	23	70	7

Marist College Marist Poll. June 17-24, 2010. N=813 registered voters nationwide. MoE ą 3.5.

"Would you say President Barack Obama's response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is better, worse or about the same as President George Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina?"

		Better	Worse	Same	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/17-24/10	37	23	34	6

"Do you approve or disapprove of how President Barack Obama is handling the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/17-24/10	46	53	1

"Do you approve or disapprove of how the oil company BP is handling the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/17-24/10	17	83	1

"Do you support or oppose a moratorium on drilling for new oil supplies in currently protected areas off shore, that is, do you support or oppose temporarily suspending new offshore drilling?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/17-24/10	46	45	9

Gallup Poll. June 19-20, 2010. N=1,046 adults nationwide, interviewed via Gallup Daily tracking. MoE ą 4.

"Turning back to Barack Obama, do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/19-20/10	44	48	9
	6/5-6/10	40	46	13

"Next, do you approve or disapprove of the way the oil company BP is handling the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/19-20/10	16	76	8

Pew Research/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll, sponsored by the Society for Human Resource Management. June 17-20, 2010. N=1,009 adults nationwide. MoE ą 4.

"How would you rate the job the Obama administration has been doing responding to the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico? . . ."

		Excellent	Good	Only fair	Poor	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/17-20/10	8	25	29	35	4
	5/20-23/10	7	24	31	26	12

"How would you rate the job B.P. has been doing responding to the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico? . . ." 5/10: "How would you rate the job B.P. -- the oil company that operated the oil rig -- has been doing responding to the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico? . . ."

		Excellent	Good	Only fair	Poor	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/17-20/10	2	16	28	49	5
	5/20-23/10	3	16	26	44	11
	5/6-9/10	5	19	36	27	13

CBS News/New York Times Poll. June 16-20, 2010. N=1,259 adults nationwide (MoE ą 3). An oversample of residents in coastal counties of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi was conducted, for a total of 318 interviews (MoE ą 6). The results were then weighted in proportion to the adult population.

"Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	ALL	43	47	10
	Republicans	22	66	12
	Democrats	63	29	8
	Independents	39	52	9

"From what you've seen and heard, how long do you think it will take BP to stop the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico: a few more weeks, about a month or so, several months, about a year, longer than that, or don't you think BP will ever be able to stop the flow of oil into the Gulf?"

			%
	A few weeks		4
	About a month or so		14
	Several months		48
	About a year		10
	Longer than a year		6
	Won't ever be able to stop		7
	Depends (vol.)		1
	Unsure		10

"From what you know, is the environmental damage caused by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico so severe that wildlife, like fish and birds may never recover, OR is the damage severe but the wildlife will eventually recover, OR is the damage not all that severe?"

		May never recover	Will recover	Not all that severe	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	Nationwide	29	66	1	4
	Gulf coast	26	69	1	4

"From what you know, is the economic damage caused by the oil spill so severe that the Gulf coast economy, including businesses like tourism and fishing, may never recover, OR is the economic damage severe but the Gulf coast economy will eventually recover, OR is the damage not all that severe?"

		May never recover	Will recover	Not all that severe	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	Nationwide	17	79	1	3
	Gulf coast