Clean energy a nonpartisan issue

According to a survey of 1,019 Americans conducted by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Civil Society Institute (CSI), common wisdom is wrong. The report concluded that there is no political "fault line" that divides Americans along party lines when it comes to clean energy issues and solutions.  The majority of Republicans, Democrats and Independents agree that the U.S. should move away from dirty energy sources and make greater use of clean energy sources.

More specifically, the survey found that 76 percent of Americans -- 58 percent of Republicans, 83 percent of Independents, and 88 percent of Democrats -- believe the U.S. should move to a sustainable energy future through "a reduction in our reliance on nuclear power, natural gas and coal, and instead, launch a national initiative to boost renewable energy and energy efficiency."

However, the perception of Americans is that Washington is on a different page. More than three out of four Americans (77 percent) -- including 70 percent of Republicans, 76 percent of Independents and 85 percent of Democrats -- believe that "the energy industry's extensive and well-financed public relations, campaign contributions and lobbying machine is a major barrier to moving beyond business as usual when it comes to America's energy policy."

Utilities do not come out unscathed in the public eye. Four out of five (80 percent) -- 78 percent of Republicans, 83 percent of Independents and 82 percent of Democrats -- oppose the use of advance billing by utilities in some states to pay for the construction of nuclear and other power plants. Only 13 percent say that customers should pay their share in this regard.

Like utilities, state public utilities have some accountability. Three out of four (75 percent) -- 58 percent of Republicans, 84 percent of Independents and 86 percent of Democrats -- believe "Congress and state public utility commissions that regulate electric utilities should put more emphasis on renewable energy and increased energy efficiency... "

For more:
- see the report

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