A poll commissioned by the Center for American Progress on US citizen’s thought about energy has been released. The key findings are:

• Promoting the development of renewable energy sources is a leading item
  on the public’s energy agenda, and five in nine voters want the federal
  government to do more than it currently is to promote sources such as wind
  and solar power.
• While voters support increased reliance on natural gas in the coming years, by a two-to-one margin they put a higher priority on protecting public lands
  and natural places from overdevelopment than on opportunities for oil and
  natural gas drilling on public lands.
• Two frames for setting energy policy have strong resonance with the public:
• A BALANCED energy policy that addresses energy independence while
  better protecting public health, public lands, and clean drinking water;
  and
• A CLEAN energy policy that promotes innovation and manufacturing
  jobs while spending the transition to cleaner renewable forms of energy.
  Both of these frames have stronger appeal than an “ALL OF THE ABOVE”
  energy frame
• In addition to renewable energy, large majorities support other progressive policy initiatives, including:
• Strengthening protections against pollution of drinking water and clean
  air; and
• Permanently protecting special public lands for future generations.
• Conversely, majorities strongly oppose key initiatives that the new
  leadership in Congress is expected to push that would weaken protection for drinking water and clean air, sell off some national forests or other public
  lands, and allow drilling on highly valued recreation lands.
• Americans strongly oppose lifting the restrictions on oil exports, both on an unaided basis and after hearing point-counterpoint arguments on the topic.
• Focusing on ties to Big Oil and the Congress’s continued support for
  taxpayer subsidies of fossil fuel industries is a compelling frame against an
  anti-environment, fossil fuels agenda in Congress.

Voters want the federal government to do more to promote both energy independence and renewable energy (keep in mind that for the most part, renewable energy leads to more independence):

But when it comes to developing domestic Carbon-based sources vs. clean energy, Democrats prefer clean energy, Republicans prefer dirty energy.

Voter prefer President Obama’s proposals over those of Congress, once they hear the details.

And, there is a trust issue.

There is a lot more in the poll, the PDF is here.

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