ReThink Energy NJ's 5th Annual Poll Shows NJ Voters Are More Committed to Clean Energy Than Ever

Voters overwhelmingly support renewables over fossil fuels and construction of more pipelines

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Oct 21, 2019, 09:31 ET

FAR HILLS, N.J., Oct. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ReThink Energy NJ today announced the release of its annual poll, "Attitudes on Clean Energy" that was conducted by the Fairleigh Dickinson University Poll. Now in its fifth year, the annual poll surveyed registered voters in New Jersey and results show overwhelming support for renewable energy, and specifically, the state's initiative to achieve 100% clean energy by 2050.

The poll found that nearly 9 out of 10 (87%) New Jersey voters believe clean energy is important to the health of the state. When asked which sources are considered clean energy, the vast majority cited solar (82%) and wind (77%) with only 40% mentioning natural gas.

"The continued growth in support of clean energy by voters sends a clear message to policymakers about the future they want for the Garden State and it doesn't include fossil fuels," said Tom Gilbert, campaign director, ReThink Energy NJ and New Jersey Conservation Foundation. "Voters clearly support the Murphy Administration's clean energy agenda and choose clean, renewable energy over more fossil fuels and pipelines."

"New Jerseyans are highly supportive of the clean energy initiatives in the state, and more than half say they are more likely to vote for a candidate who favors renewables, " said Krista Jenkins, director, The Fairleigh Dickinson University Poll. "This, and the strong support across all energy issues we measured should be encouraging news to policymakers who are looking to advance clean energy in the state."

Voters Oppose Fossil Fuel Development and Think Pipelines Aren't Worth the Risk
Three in five New Jersey voters disagree with the federal government's push for further development of oil and gas. Most (76%) believe New Jersey should ignore Washington's lead and should set its own course on investing in clean renewable energy sources.

Nearly three-quarters (72%) of voters said the number of jobs created through pipelines is not worth the environmental and health risks, and that we should instead create jobs through clean, renewable energy projects — up from 67% last year.

Seventy percent expressed concern about pipeline development in the state, and when asked about specific potential risks, the number of voters concerned climbed when compared to the previous year.

	2019	2018

The impact to natural areas and wildlife habitats	85%	81%
The seizure of private property by private companies	83%	81%
The risks to air and water quality	81%	79%
The use of protected areas such as the Pine Barrens	81%	78%
The use of taxpayer preserved open spaces	80%	74%
The safety risks associated with ruptures, leaks, or explosions	78%	73%

New Jersey Voters Support Wind Energy
Four in five (81%) favor New Jersey's recent approval to develop wind energy off the coast of New Jersey.

New Jerseyans Will Pay for Clean Energy
Two-thirds (65%) are willing to pay more ($10 or $15 per month) on their energy bills to help reduce emissions if their energy is generated from solar or wind. This result is consistent with previous years and clearly shows that New Jersey voters are serious about clean energy and are willing to make the investment.

The telephone survey of 808 randomly selected registered voters was conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson Poll for ReThink Energy NJ between September 26th and October 2nd, 2019. The margin of error (MOE) is +/- 3.5 percentage points.

View the "2019 Attitudes on Energy Poll" report. To see poll results from previous years, visit ReThink Energy NJ's Reports and Polls page.

Click to Tweet: NJ voters overwhelmingly support clean energy like solar and wind over fossil fuels and pipelines, according to new @FDUpoll. See full results: http://ow.ly/XYgO50wOQS0 @rethinkenergynj #RenewablesNow

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