April 18, 2013 - Gas Drilling Divides New York By Region, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Say 3-1 Fracking Will Hurt Environment Word format PDF format New York State voters remain divided on drilling for natural gas, as 42 percent support drilling because of the economic benefits, while 46 percent oppose it because of environmental concerns, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. This slight opposition compares to the results of a March 20 survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University, in which voters opposed natural gas drilling 46 - 39 percent. In today's survey, upstate voters are divided 45 - 46 percent on the issue of drilling, while New York City voters oppose it 47 - 37 percent and suburban voters are split with 47 percent in favor and 44 percent opposed. Republicans support drilling 68 - 25 percent, with Democrats opposed 58 - 29 percent and independent voters divided 43 - 45 percent. There is also a large gender gap as men back drilling by a narrow 47 - 42 percent, while women are opposed 49 - 38 percent. By a larger 50 - 38 percent margin, New York State voters support a new tax on companies drilling for natural gas. Support for a drilling tax is 59 - 30 percent among Democrats and 51 - 36 percent among independent voters. Republicans opposed the tax 53 - 37 percent. "Fracking continues to divide the state by party, region and gender. The thumbs-down we found last time is moving back into a grey area. Voters still think it will bring new jobs - and some environmental damage," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. New York State voters say 72 - 20 percent that drilling for natural gas will create jobs. There is almost no difference among upstate, New York City and suburban voters. Voters also believe 54 - 16 percent that using hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to extract natural gas will damage the environment. Republicans are divided 32 - 33 percent on whether fracking will hurt the environment, while most voters in all other groups believe it will. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is "dragging his feet" and trying to avoid making a decision on fracking, 32 percent of voters say, while 24 percent say he is "carefully evaluating the issues," with 41 percent undecided. "There's a sense of impatience among voters," Carroll said. "Is Gov. Andrew Cuomo doing a careful evaluation or dragging his feet? Slightly more voters see the scuff marks." From April 9 - 14, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,404 New York State voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia and the nation as a public service and for research. For more information, visit http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter. 13. Some people say there should be drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale because of the economic benefits. Others say there should not be drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale because of the environmental impact. Which comes closer to your point of view? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Drilling 42% 68% 29% 43% 47% 38% 47% 27% 38% No drilling 46 25 58 45 42 49 45 49 45 DK/NA 12 7 13 12 10 13 8 24 17 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HSHOLD INC AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <50K 50-100 >100K 18-34 35-54 55+ Drilling 39% 44% 38% 42% 49% 41% 41% 44% No drilling 54 41 47 46 45 47 50 43 DK/NA 7 15 14 11 5 13 8 12 HEARD OF AREA............. UPSTATE NY....... FRACKING Q16 UpStat NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Yes No Drilling 45% 37% 47% 66% 30% 40% 42% 44% No drilling 46 47 44 29 63 48 50 36 DK/NA 9 16 9 5 7 12 8 20 TREND: Some people say there should be drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale because of the economic benefits. Others say there should not be drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale because of the environmental impact. Which comes closer to your point of view? DRILLING...... High Low Apr 18 Mar 20 Jan 31 Dec 13 Sep 12 Aug 11 Mar 20 2013 2013 2013 2012 2012 2011 2013 Drilling 42 39 43 44 45 47 39 No drilling 46 46 42 42 41 42 46 DK/NA 12 14 15 15 13 12 14 14. Do you support or oppose a new tax on companies drilling for natural gas in the state's Marcellus Shale? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Support 50% 37% 59% 51% 54% 47% 52% 39% 50% Oppose 38 53 30 36 37 38 37 43 35 DK/NA 12 10 11 13 9 15 11 18 15 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HSHOLD INC AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <50K 50-100 >100K 18-34 35-54 55+ Support 60% 44% 44% 54% 63% 51% 53% 49% Oppose 32 41 41 34 31 43 36 36 DK/NA 8 15 15 12 6 7 11 15 HEARD OF AREA............. UPSTATE NY....... FRACKING Q16 UpStat NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Yes No Support 50% 51% 50% 37% 59% 52% 55% 39% Oppose 38 34 42 54 31 32 35 45 DK/NA 12 15 8 10 10 16 10 16 TREND: Do you support or oppose a new tax on companies drilling for natural gas in the state's Marcellus Shale? SUPPORT....... High Low Apr 18 Dec 13 Sep 12 Jul 26 Dec 21 Aug 11 Jul 26 2013 2012 2012 2012 2011 2011 2012 Support 50 54 51 47 57 59 47 Oppose 38 32 34 39 31 29 39 DK/NA 12 14 15 14 12 12 14 15. Do you think that drilling for natural gas in the state's Marcellus Shale will create jobs or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Yes 72% 85% 66% 73% 77% 68% 75% 67% 67% No 20 11 26 18 19 21 17 23 26 DK/NA 8 4 8 8 4 11 7 10 7 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HSHOLD INC AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <50K 50-100 >100K 18-34 35-54 55+ Yes 76% 69% 66% 77% 76% 70% 73% 72% No 18 21 25 18 19 23 22 18 DK/NA 5 9 10 5 5 7 4 10 HEARD OF AREA............. UPSTATE NY....... FRACKING Q16 UpStat NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Yes No Yes 73% 70% 74% 83% 67% 72% 73% 70% No 20 22 19 14 26 17 20 20 DK/NA 7 9 7 3 7 11 7 10 TREND: Do you think that drilling for natural gas in the state's Marcellus Shale will create jobs or not? YES........... High Low Apr 18 Dec 13 Sep 12 Jul 26 Dec 21 Sep 12 Apr 18 2013 2012 2012 2012 2011 2012 2013 Yes 72 78 81 75 75 81 72 No 20 15 12 17 18 12 20 DK/NA 8 8 7 8 7 7 8 16. Have you heard or read anything about hydro-fracking? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Yes 69% 73% 61% 75% 77% 62% 79% 41% 43% No 30 26 39 24 22 38 20 59 57 DK/NA 1 1 - - 1 - 1 - - COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HSHOLD INC AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <50K 50-100 >100K 18-34 35-54 55+ Yes 82% 61% 58% 75% 82% 58% 73% 72% No 17 39 41 25 18 42 27 28 DK/NA - 1 1 - - - - 1 AREA............. UPSTATE NY....... UpStat NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Yes 85% 53% 67% 88% 82% 88% No 14 47 33 11 18 11 DK/NA 1 - - 1 1 1 TREND: Have you heard or read anything about hydro-fracking? YES........... High Low Apr 18 Dec 13 Sep 12 Jul 26 Dec 21 Apr 18 Sep 21 2013 2012 2012 2012 2011 2013 2011 Yes 69 66 65 62 59 69 53 No 30 33 34 37 39 30 46 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 17. Natural gas drilling companies want to practice hydro-fracking in New York State. Hydro-fracking is the process of pumping water and chemicals into the ground under high pressure to fracture rocks. This releases natural gas trapped in the rocks which is then collected. Do you think hydro-fracking will cause environmental damage or not, or don't you know? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Yes/Will damage 54% 32% 66% 52% 49% 58% 50% 60% 58% No/Won't Damage 16 33 6 18 23 10 19 10 10 Don't Know 29 34 27 29 28 31 30 30 32 REFUSED 1 - - 1 1 1 1 - - COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HSHOLD INC AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <50K 50-100 >100K 18-34 35-54 55+ Yes/Will damage 61% 49% 55% 57% 54% 50% 59% 52% No/Won't Damage 15 17 14 16 19 16 13 18 Don't Know 24 33 31 26 27 34 27 30 REFUSED 1 1 1 - - 1 1 1 HEARD OF AREA............. UPSTATE NY....... FRACKING Q16 UpStat NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Yes No Yes/Will damage 52% 58% 50% 30% 72% 51% 56% 49% No/Won't Damage 20 11 17 36 5 22 20 7 Don't Know 27 30 33 34 23 26 23 44 REFUSED 1 1 - 1 - 1 1 - TREND: Natural gas drilling companies want to practice hydro-fracking in New York State. Hydro-fracking is the process of pumping water and chemicals into the ground under high pressure to fracture rocks. This releases natural gas trapped in the rocks which is then collected. Do you think hydro-fracking will cause environmental damage or not, or don't you know? YES........... High Low Apr 18 Dec 13 Sep 12 Jul 26 Dec 21 Dec 21 Sep 12 2013 2012 2012 2012 2011 2011 2012 Yes/Will damage 54 50 48 53 55 55 48 No/Won't damage 16 17 14 12 13 13 14 Don't Know 29 33 37 34 31 31 37 REFUSED 1 - 1 1 1 1 1 18. Which comes closer to your point of view; Governor Cuomo is carefully evaluating the issue of hydro-fracking, or Governor Cuomo is dragging his feet and trying to avoid making a decision on the issue of hydro-fracking, or don't you have an opinion on that? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Carefully evaluating 24% 19% 28% 24% 26% 23% 25% 28% 21% Dragging his feet 32 41 24 33 40 26 34 14 30 No opinion 41 38 44 40 33 48 37 56 47 DK/NA 3 2 3 3 1 4 3 1 2 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HSHOLD INC AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <50K 50-100 >100K 18-34 35-54 55+ Carefully evaluating 27% 23% 21% 28% 26% 20% 22% 28% Dragging his feet 37 29 27 37 34 32 34 31 No opinion 32 46 49 33 38 46 42 37 DK/NA 4 2 2 3 2 2 1 4 HEARD OF AREA............. UPSTATE NY....... FRACKING Q16 UpStat NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Yes No Carefully evaluating 23% 25% 25% 17% 32% 24% 28% 16% Dragging his feet 37 27 32 46 25 40 40 17 No opinion 37 45 39 35 40 37 30 65 DK/NA 2 2 4 2 3 - 2 3 TREND: Which comes closer to your point of view; Governor Cuomo is carefully evaluating the issue of hydro-fracking, or Governor Cuomo is dragging his feet and trying to avoid making a decision on the issue of hydro-fracking, or don't you have an opinion on that? Apr 18 Mar 20 Dec 13 2013 2013 2012 Carefully evaluating 24 21 26 Dragging his feet 32 30 25 No opinion 41 46 44 DK/NA 3 3 4 Demographic Summary
