Public Opinion

Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Public Opinion

Gallup Poll on Fracking Shows it to be a Partisan/Political Issue
March 24, 2015March 24, 2015

Gallup is out with a nationwide poll that asks this question: Do you favor or oppose hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” as a means of increasing the production of natural gas and oil in the U.S.? The headline that news organizations are reporting is that across all age groups and party affiliations, it’s a 40/40 split–40% favor fracking and 40% oppose it. If you dig a little deeper, you find this should be the real headline: Republicans favor fracking, Democrats oppose it. If you dig deeper still, you’ll find those who have grown a brain (50+ years old) are in favor of fracking, while inexperienced (and frankly dumber) young people oppose it. That about sums up the poll numbers (see them below). At least, those are the poll numbers shared by Gallup. They don’t bother to share the cross-tabs–the underlying details of the poll. We’d love to see it broken out by region–or by state. Did Gallup weight the poll with people from New England or California and under-represent places like Texas and North Dakota? We don’t know. Therefore we don’t know how truly reflective this poll is of “average” American opinion…
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Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Public Opinion | Statewide PA | Taxation

Majority of PA Voters DON’T Support a New Severance Tax Right Now
March 2, 2015March 2, 2015

The results of a recent poll conducted of PA voters, paid for by the Marcellus Shale Coalition, is (in our opinion) being misreported. The headlines, which all seem to quote a single story in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, claim that a “majority” of PA voters support slapping a new tax on shale drillers. That’s not how we read the results…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Public Opinion

Majority of “Scientists” Oppose Fracking, According to Pew Research
February 4, 2015February 4, 2015

A new survey out by the Pew Research Center says a majority of “scientists” have a negative view of fracking. The survey says 66% of “scientists” surveyed (that is, members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS) are against the use of fracking for oil and gas, while 31% are in favor of fracking. The same survey says 51% of American adults are against the use of fracking and 39% are in favor of it. The clear implication, the thing Pew and anti-drillers want you to take away from this, is that “scientists” are impartial and, frankly, smarter than the average person. And by gaw, if a scientist believes fracking is evil, you should too (you dope). The only problem is, what if the scientist is against fracking not because of the science, but because of a personal political/philosophical viewpoint? Is their opinion still “better” and “more worthy” and “more informed” than the average person’s?…
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Bradford County | Greene County (PA) | Industrywide Issues | Lycoming County | Pennsylvania | Public Opinion | Research | Statewide PA | Washington County

Report: PA’s Youth Not Impressed with Marcellus Industry
February 3, 2015February 3, 2015

A little over a week ago The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, a bipartisan, bicameral legislative agency that serves as a resource for rural policy within the Pennsylvania General Assembly, published the third report in a series of studies commissioned on the Marcellus Shale and its impact on the state (see New Report: Marcellus Shale Drilling’s Impact on PA Schools). The Center has just published a fourth report. Titled “Youth Perspectives on Marcellus Shale Gas Development: Community Change and Future Prospects” (full copy embedded below), the new report tackles the topic of youth attitudes toward the industry. In a quick pass, it seems PA’s youth are not all that impressed with the industry and what it has to offer them. They don’t like the traffic and noise and believe in some places shale drilling has detracted from the natural beauty of the countryside and harmed wildlife…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Public Opinion | Regulation | Statewide NY

Poll: Majority of NYers Support Cuomo’s Frack Ban – Or Do They?
January 21, 2015January 21, 2015

Results of a new statewide poll for New York were released yesterday by Siena College. Siena provides one of the leading polls of political issues and politicians in the state. We’ve covered their polls many times. The media coverage of this latest poll is a meme that Siena themselves are pushing: there is “overwhelming support” for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s ban on fracking in the state–both Upstate and Downstate. That’s the meme, that’s the template/narrative they want you to believe. However, when we look at the poll numbers, we find a lot that Andrew Cuomo should be VERY concerned about. For example, how does he launch a legitimate campaign for president when nearly half of all New Yorkers (40%) either have an “unfavorable” opinion or indicate they have “no opinion” of him? Nearly half! There’s no way you win a national election when the voters in your own state don’t like you. Let’s dig in to the numbers and see what the real story of this poll tells us…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Public Opinion | Regulation | Statewide NY

Q Poll: Majority of New Yorkers Support Cuomo’s Frack Ban
December 29, 2014December 29, 2014

If we New Yorkers are ever to one day see shale drilling and fracking in the Empire State, we must face the truth squarely in the face. We must be willing to admit to ourselves what the facts are (relative to the PR war we are in) and move on from there. A Quinnipiac University poll conducted shortly after Gov. Cuomo’s ignominious decision to ban fracking throws a bucket of cold water in our collective faces and is a wake-up call for those of us who support drilling (which is the correct and righteous position on this issue). The poll, conducted statewide, shows that NY state voters approve of Cuomo’s decision to ban fracking by a margin of 55% to 25% who oppose his decision. Republicans, sadly, support his decision by 42% with 40% opposed, and Democrats are simply in lock-step mode (they don’t think for themselves anymore, too much hassle): they support the man-child’s decision by 67% to 11% against the decision. Not one single party, gender, age or regional group had a majority that disapproved of Cuomo’s decision to ban fracking. That’s the bad news. Here’s the good news…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Public Opinion | Statewide PA

MSC Launches Major PR Campaign to Change Public View of Fracking
September 26, 2014September 26, 2014

Channeling in our inner Martha Stewart: “Fracking is a good thing.” One of the announcements made at this year’s Shale Insight event was from the host Marcellus Shale Coalition. They have just launched a major public relations campaign to change the word “fracking” from having negative connotations to having positive vibes. The campaign is called Fracking: Rock Solid for PA and sports three commercials that will be aired in media markets across the state. The advertisements will encourage people to type in the web address rocksolidfacts.com, a vanity URL that then forwards them to the MSC’s United Shale Associations website at this address: //unitedshaleadvocates.com/rocksolidfacts/. On that page visitors can watch a 3-minute video that shares the real facts about fracking in Pennsylvania…
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Chesapeake Energy | East Resources | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Public Opinion | Range Resources Corp

What Nightmares Keep Drillers Up at Night? Hint: Not Fines
September 22, 2014September 22, 2014

What are the nightmares that keep drillers up at night? Is it the prospect of having to pay big fines, like the biggest fine paid to date in Pennsylvania, announced just last week (see PA DEP Fines Range Resources $4.15M for Wastewater Impoundments). While we’re sure that fine stung, the money paid was more like a bee sting. According to the drillers themselves and their comments, the thing that keeps them up at night is negative publicity. Bad public relations (PR). It’s not the fine itself but public perception about being fined or being in violation. Some of the problem is caused by an unrealistically high standard of zero mistakes and zero screw-ups imposed by those who oppose shale drilling…
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Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Public Opinion | Statewide PA

Poll: Huge Majority of PA Voters Want More Home-Grown O&G
September 15, 2014September 15, 2014

The results of a Harris poll taken of 608 Pennsylvania registered voters at the end of July/beginning of August is bad news for anti-drillers–really bad news. The Harris poll found an astounding 87% of Pennsylvanians think it’s “important” that we produce more oil and natural gas right here in the good ole US of A–including Pennsylvania itself. That single question alone puts anti-drilling candidates on notice that they’re on the endangered species list this November. Even more astonishing: 70% of Pennsylvanians think the federal government doesn’t do enough to encourage energy infrastructure here at home. Talk about an anti-drilling nightmare in the making!…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pennsylvania | Public Opinion | Statewide NY | Statewide PA

Univ of Mich Polls PA & NY on Fracking Views – Paradox in Results
September 9, 2014September 9, 2014

The University of Michigan is fresh out with the results of a poll they conducted in April and May of both New Yorkers and Pennsylvanians and their attitudes on the issue of Marcellus Shale drilling and fracking. We’re not quite sure if the results can be relied on simply because of the small number polled–just 405 New Yorkers and 411 Pennsylvanians. However, the results are interesting nonetheless. If you drill down to the actual questions asked, and the responses (full copy below), you’ll find that in both NY and PA when asked how much the respondent has heard (knows) about fracking–a lot, a little, or never heard of it before–more than half said they’ve heard “a little” about it: 55% in NY and 52% in PA. Even more shocking is that 11% in NY and 10% in PA had “never heard” of fracking before. Add the numbers up and it equals 66% of NY residents and 62% of PA residents that know little to nothing about fracking–which is a huge opportunity for those of us with the truth about this miracle to communicate our message to them and educate them on the benefits of fracking…
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Industrywide Issues | New York | Public Opinion | Statewide NY

Quinnipiac Poll Finds New Yorkers Still About Split on Fracking
August 25, 2014August 25, 2014

A couple of different polling agencies regularly ask New Yorkers their opinion about fracking in the Empire State. It’s always been roughly 50/50 for and against. Downstate, near New York City, it tends to be slightly higher against, and Upstate, in places like Broome County (where MDN is written) it tends to be slightly higher in favor of fracking. Recently one of two main polling agencies, Siena College, tried a new twist, which utterly bombed. They decided to poll in those places most likely to see drilling–except they included places that won’t see drilling and ignored two of the largest counties that would see drilling (see Siena Poll of Upstate NYers on Fracking Fatally Flawed). Garbage in, garbage out. Quinnipiac University is the other major pollster for New York. They’ve decided to stick with their routine questions and poll a sampling of all New Yorkers. And what does it show?…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Public Opinion | Research

Makovsky Survey: 57% in U.S. Think Fracking a Top 3 Enviro Issue
August 6, 2014August 6, 2014

Makovsky, a public relations firm with offices in New York City and Washington, DC, on Monday released the results of a new survey they conducted nationwide on public attitudes about the issue of fracking (full copy of the survey results embedded below). We’ll analyze the survey itself and how it was conducted in a moment. However, the bombshell finding of the survey is that 57% of U.S. consumers believe that the issue of fracking is “one of the three most important environmental issues of today.” Another bombshell: in the U.S., “71% of people say they hear about fracking every week.” Some 41% hear about fracking through Internet news (MDN anyone?). And 38% hear about fracking via social media like Twitter and Facebook…
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Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Public Opinion

Some Vermonters Actually Want New Natural Gas Pipeline!
August 4, 2014August 4, 2014

In the “wonders never cease” department, just when you’ve written New England states like Massachusetts and Vermont as being overflowing with wacko lefties who hate fossil fuels, along comes a story like this one. Vermont Business Magazine conducted a survey of its readers. Some 500 of them responded–certainly not a scientifically rigorous survey–but indicative all the same. The magazine asked whether or not respondents support the Addison Rutland Natural Gas Project–a project that would lay new natgas pipelines to homes and businesses in Addison and Rutland counties. The top level survey shows that 80% of those surveyed are in favor…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Public Opinion | Statewide NY

Siena Poll of Upstate NYers on Fracking Fatally Flawed
August 1, 2014August 1, 2014

Sure looks to MDN like the so-called unbiased, independent pollsters at Siena College have pulled a fast one. They’ve either unintentionally, or perhaps intentionally, cherry-picked polling results in order to report in their latest poll that “51 percent of voters int the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes oppose hydrofracking, compared to 39 percent in support.” Here’s why the poll, and therefore it’s results, are fatally flawed and meaningless…
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Industrywide Issues | Public Opinion

API Issues New Standards for Drillers for “Community Engagement”
July 10, 2014March 14, 2017

With echoes of Fred Rogers singing, “Won’t you be my neighbor?,” yesterday the American Petroleum Institute issued a first-of-its-kind industry standard for how shale drillers should treat the neighbors. The API’s new Community Engagement Guidelines is a template for neighborly etiquette. The API wants their outline to become the “gold standard for good neighbor policies that address community concerns, enhance the long-term benefits of local development, and ensure a two-way conversation regarding mutual goals for community growth,” according to an API director of standards David Miller. Below we have the press announcement and a full copy of the new standard/template for how drillers should treat the neighbors…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Public Opinion | Statewide PA

PA Residents Rank Gasland Dead Last in Trustworthy Info Sources
June 17, 2014June 17, 2014

Who do Pennsylvanians trust when it comes to information about Marcellus Shale drilling? A poll of PA residents in 21 counties–between June and October 2012–tried to answer that question. The results of that poll, and an analysis of the results, is published in the June 2014 Energy Research & Social Science journal. Titled “Hydraulic fracturing and the management, disposal, and reuse of frac flowback waters: Views from the public in the Marcellus Shale,” the poll shows that of the eight primary ways people were getting information about fracking, dead last in “trustworthiness” was Josh Fox’s fictional movie Gasland. What strikes MDN as odd is why it took a year and a half to publish the results…
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