Editor’s Comments: An Overwhelming Voice
By Elizabeth Cutright
What should our national energy policy look like? Should we focus only on energy independence and set aside issues of efficiency and reliability? Or should we concentrate on implementing a nationwide smart grid? Push for more distributed generation? What about smarter buildings, energy management systems, and microgrids-shouldn’t they all be part of the conversation? What about clean energy technologies, reduced consumer demand, and the water-energy nexus?
And can the citizenry-a populace who many experts describe as more bitterly partisan, more stridently divided than at any other time in history since the Civil War-come to any kind of consensus about the future of our energy generation, use and distribution?
The answer is, yes…yes they can.
According to a recent survey released by the nonprofit Civil Society Institute (CSI) 86% of Americans want leadership on standing up to pressure from coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power lobbyists while a resounding 91% of Americans “feel it is important that their member of congress demonstrate a leadership role on a national agenda for clean energy and protecting America’s water and air.”
As Pam Solo, president and found of CSI explains, “When given a menu of choices and not asked a simple “˜yes-or-no’ question, Americans weigh our options and come down in favor of increased energy efficiency and low environmental impact and healthier energy futures such as wind and solar power.
“The distance between what the public values and where political decision makers are headed should be seen as an opportunity for real leadership at the federal level,” she continues. “Energy policy is at the heart of our economic prosperity, public health, and national security. And, Americans overwhelmingly want a voice that can counter the undue influence of the energy industries that have a stake in business as usual.” (Emphasis added)
The survey, carried out with help from the Environment Working Group, gauged the responses of 809 poll participants, and the answers clearly demonstrate a consensus across party lines (http://prn.to/Vn1svn). For example, 85% of Republicans, 87% of Independents, and 96% of Democrats voiced their support for clean energy advancements and protected water resources. Respondents also set aside politics when asked about unchecked energy production and water pollution with “92% of Republicans, 87% of Independents, and 98% of Democrats denoting a preference for political leadership that “˜calls for more energy production in US with protecting clean water and air.'”
Other inquiries posed by the survey, which was conducted throughout December 2012, delved into respondents’ opinions regarding shale gas fracking and large-scale liquefied gas exports to China. Each time respondents were given the choice between conscientious resource management and unrestrained expansion of domestic energy production, the majority of participants chose protection of water resources over increased domestic energy production.
“The takeaway from this important poll is that access to clean, safe drinking water is first and foremost on Americans’ minds as we dive headlong into a new era of energy production in the United States,” declares Heather White, executive director at Environmental Working Group. “Americans are concerned about water quality, but also water availability when they look at how much is used in the quest for domestic sources of energy.”
Some other key finding from the report include majority support for what pollsters describe as the “precautionary principle”: the notion that we “should get the facts first about health and environmental risks before the potential damage is done by energy production,” supported by 80% of respondents (including 67% of Republicans, 82% of Independents, and 89% of Democrats). It appears Americans are ready for action on global warming as well: 86% of respondents stated a desire for leadership on addressing climate change and extreme weather. Even more intriguing, the survey reveals that there is relatively little partisan difference on this point, with support for climate change action coming from 75% of Republicans, 82% of Independents, and 95% of Democrats.
And while 17% of survey participants say they favor development of US energy resources for export purposes “to advance US interests as a global economic power,” 81% believe “America should produce enough energy to meet America’s needs in a way that doesn’t harm our clean water and air….”
But citizens are still skeptical of the ability of the government alone to effect change. According to the survey, almost three quarters of Americans do not hold out much hope that politicians will act without public support: 74% think a grassroots movement will be needed “to counter the influence of energy industry lobbyists and campaign contributions on politicians in Washington, DC.”
As I stated in a recent blog (“The Answer Is Clear,” January 15, 2013 ):
“Energy independence can mean a lot of different things I suppose. To some it means cutting off our dependence on fossil fuels imported from other (sometimes-hostile) nations. To others it might mean reduced emissions and smarter energy use. To many it should include renewable energy and clean energy technologies. But, to all of us, shouldn’t it mean-at the very least-that we focus on reducing energy demand, increasing energy efficiency, and continuing to find ways to do more with less?”
And when I concluded “the kind of national energy policy I’d like to see,” it’s clear-thanks to this CSI survey-that I’m not alone in my desire to see us move toward more integrated, more reasonable and more efficient national energy policy.
Author Bio: Elizabeth Cutright is a previous editor of Distributed Energy magazine.