New Poll Shows Strong Support for Clean Energy and Climate Policy Among Voters in MA, FL, ME

Research Conducted by We Can Lead Shows Voters in States Represented by Moderate Republican U.S. Senators Support Comprehensive Energy and Climate Solution that Creates Jobs

WASHINGTON, May 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In wake of the BP oil spill, comprehensive climate and energy legislation unveiled last week has gained overwhelming support among voters in Massachusetts, Maine, and Florida, states represented by moderate Republican U.S. Senators, according to new opinion research released today by We Can Lead, a project of Ceres and the Clean Economy Network.

Senators John Kerry (Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (Conn.) unveiled a comprehensive clean energy and climate proposal last week that won the support of business, environment, national security, faith and veterans groups. According to new research data, voters in Massachusetts support the proposal overwhelmingly, 65-31%, while voters in Maine support it 57-39% and voters in Florida do so at a 50-42% margin.

"Moderate Senators like Scott Brown of Massachusetts, George LeMieux of Florida and Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine should take notice that voters at home are paying close attention to what they are doing or not doing on energy and climate while in Washington," said Jeff Anderson, Executive Director of the Clean Economy Network and co-director of the We Can Lead campaign.  "These results show voters in their states support action on clean energy and climate and they want action from their Senators."

"These poll results show support far beyond the Democratic base for sweeping energy legislation," said Tom Jensen, Director of Public Policy Polling.  "A majority of independents in all these states want to see the bill passed, and Republicans are highly supportive of many key goals of the bill as well."

The research also found:

• Support for Clean Energy Job Creation: 80% of voters in Massachusetts, 71% in Florida, and 74% in Maine, indicate they would be more likely to support the bill if it created new jobs in clean energy industries. It has strong bipartisan appeal, including a majority of Republicans, in all three states.

• Key Legislative Goals Supported. There is greater than 60% support for many of the key objectives the bill hopes to accomplish.  65% of voters in Massachusetts and 60% in Florida and Maine would like to see the federal government invest more in clean energy technology. 76% in Massachusetts, 69% in Florida, and 63% in Maine think there should be stricter regulation of corporate polluters.  And 80% of Massachusetts voters, 77% of Maine ones, and 74% of Florida ones want the country to reduce its dependence on foreign oil.

• Gulf Disaster Motivating Support. The recent incident associated with offshore drilling has also increased public support for a comprehensive solution to the country's energy issues.  66% of folks in Massachusetts, 58% in Maine, and 54% in Florida say that the spill makes them more supportive of the proposal being considered in Congress right now.

Public Policy Polling interviewed 501 Florida voters from May 14th to May 16th with a margin of error of +/-4.4%, 710 Maine voters on May 14th and 15th with a margin of error of +/-3.7%, and 500 Massachusetts voters from May 14th to 16th with a margin of error of +/-4.4%.

About We Can Lead

The We Can Lead campaign is sponsored by the Clean Economy Network and Ceres' Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP).  For more on We Can Lead, visit www.wecanlead.org or follow us on twitter @wecanlead  

The Clean Economy Network, Inc. (CEN) is the largest national membership-based networking, educational, and advocacy organization shaping a new economy based on clean technology and innovation. Our members are professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, and researchers who connect to each other, learn information relevant to business and professional growth, and influence public policies that impact the clean economy.

Ceres is the largest coalition of investors, environmental and public interest organizations in North America. Ceres launched the BICEP coalition, whose members include Levi Strauss & Co., Nike, Starbucks, Best Buy Co., Inc., Target Corp., Sun Microsystems, The Timberland Company, Aspen Skiing Company, Clif Bar & Company, eBay, Gap Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle, The North Face, Seventh Generation, Ben and Jerry's, Eileen Fisher, Stonyfield Farm Inc., and Symantec.

SOURCE We Can Lead