NEW MICHIGAN POLLING SHOWS STRONG SUPPORT FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY INITIATIVES

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1 MEMORANDUM TO: LARRYWARD,EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR MICHIGANCONSERVATIVEENERGYFORUM FROM: LORIWEIGEL,PUBLICOPINIONSTRATEGIES DATE: JANUARY14,2014 RE: NEWMICHIGANPOLLINGSHOWSSTRONGSUPPORTFORRENEWABLEENERGYAND ENERGYEFFICIENCYINITIATIVES Public Opinion Strategies recently completed a survey of 600 voters throughout Michigan regarding theirperceptionsofrenewableenergyandenergyefficiency. 1 Votersexpressoverwhelminglypositive views of specific proposals to engage in energy efficiency and increasing use of renewable energy. Voters believe this is an area in which the state must take the lead given perceived gridlock at the federallevel.infact,votersviewstatelegislativecandidateswhosupportsuchboldpolicyinitiatives favorably,andthereisvirtuallynopoliticaldownsidetodoingso.thesedynamicsholdtrueacrossthe partisan spectrum, as majorities of conservative GOP voters espouse support for all of the policy initiativestested. Specifically,thesurveyfound: VoterslookpositivelyonMichiganleaderswhomovethestatetowardacleanerenergyfuture. Whilegenerallyvotersbelievethatenergyoughttobeanationalpriority,theyaresoconcerned aboutthegridlocktheyseeinwashingtonthattheywantleadershipatthestatelevel.morethan fourinfiveagreethat Washingtoncan tseemtogetanythingdonethesedays.soifwewantto movetowardabetterenergyfuture,michiganneedstoboldlyleadintransitioningawayfromolder energysourcestowardcleaner,renewableenergy. Thisincludes70percentofRepublicanswho agree. Inaddition,theelectorateisfavorablyimpressedifastatelegislativecandidatedoesespousea shiftincurrentpracticesandpolicies.whenaskedtochoosebetweentwocandidateswithvery differentpositionsoncleanenergypolicy,thereisnocontestastowhichoneeverysubgroupof Michiganvoterschooses: 1 Methodology:PublicOpinionStrategiesconductedatelephonesurveyofN=600votersthroughoutthestateof Michigan.ThesurveywasconductedDecember911,2013andhasanoverallmarginoferrorof+4.0%.Sampling errorforsubgroupswithinthesamplewillbelarger.thesampleisproportionalthroughoutthestatebycounty anddemographicallyrepresentativeoftheelectorate.interviewswereconductedbothontraditionallandlines andcellphones.thesurveywasaccompaniedbyfourfocusgroupsofcenter/rightvotersinthegrandrapidsand suburbandetroitmetroarea.publicopinionstrategiesisthelargestrepublicanpollingfirminthenation.they count75gopmembersofcongress,15u.s.senatorsand6governorsastheirclients.theycurrentlycoconduct thenbcwallstreetjournalpollaswellasquarterlysurveysforcnbc. Page1

2 InthinkingaboutelectionsforStateLegislatureinyourareanextyear,forwhichofthefollowing candidateswouldyoubemostlikelytovote GOPvotersrespondsimilarly infact,theyaretwiceaslikelytosaytheywouldvoteforthepro clean energy candidate (60 percent) as one who advocates for traditional energy sources (28 percent). Voterswillbackcandidateswhodemonstratesupportforcleanenergypolicy.Unlikesocialissues, federalhealthcarelaws,ortheeconomy;relativelyfewvotersviewenergyasalitmustest.infact, onlytwopercentofthevoters andasimilartwopercentofteapartysupportersespouseanti renewable energy positions in the survey and indicate that they would vote against a candidate whosepositiondifferedfromtheirown. Michigan voters assert repeatedly a desire to transition Michigan away from coal and toward renewable sources of energy.on multiple questions, survey respondents repeatedly indicate a preferenceforclean,renewablesourcesofenergy: o Threequarters (75 percent) say that we should start replacing coal with other energy sourceslikewindandsolarpower. Amajorityof54percentsaytheystronglyagreewith thisview.agreementissolidacrossthepartisanspectrum,includingamong61percentof Republicans,75percentofindependentsand86percentofDemocrats. o Michigan voters, including conservative voters, described wind energy in overwhelmingly positive attributes, including as clean, safer, (an) opportunity, renewable, the future, andsomethingthat willhavetobepartofthemixofourenergysolutions. o Therefore, it is not surprising that when voters were asked which sources ofenergy they wouldwanttoencourageinmichigan,windenergytoppedthelist,asseeninthefollowing graph: Page2

3 SourcesofEnergyWanttoEncourage WhichoneofthefollowingsourcesofenergywouldyouwanttoENCOURAGEtheuseof hereinmichigan?ifresponsegiventhenask:andwhichwouldyounextmostwantto encouragetheuseof? o Conversely,theelectoratewouldprefertodiscouragetheuseofcoalasasourceofenergy asdepictedhere: SourcesofEnergyWanttoDiscourage WhichoneofthefollowingsourcesofenergywouldyouwanttoDISCOURAGEtheuseofherein Michigan?IFRESPONSEGIVENTHENASK:AndwhichwouldyouNEXTwanttodiscouragetheuse of? o Coaltendedtobeassociatedwith dirty and old, andvoterswereoftensurprisedtohear theproportionofmichiganelectricityproducedatcoalburningpowerplants. Page3

4 Statevotersdemonstrateverystrongsupportforarenewableenergystandard.Fully78percent indicate support for a policy to require Michigan s electric utilities to transition away from generating electricity mostly from coal, and instead have at least thirty percent of our electricity come from renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydropower energy by the year Fewerthanoneinfive(19percent)opposethepolicy.NineintenDemocrats(90percent), 74percentofindependents,andtwothirds(66percent)ofRepublicanvoterssupportthepolicy. Viewsof30%RenewableEnergyStandardby2035 IftherewasapolicytorequireMichigan selectricutilitiestotransitionawayfrom generatingelectricitymostlyfromcoal,andinsteadhaveatleastthirtypercentofour electricitycomefromrenewableenergysourcessuchaswind,solar,andhydropowerenergy bytheyear2035,doesthatsoundlikesomethingyouwouldsupportoroppose? Infact,ifitwereuptoMichiganvoters,thestandardwouldbefarhigher.Michiganvoterssay thatifitwereuptothem,anaverageof57%oftheirenergywouldcomefromrenewablesources. Conservative and independent voters explained their support for these policies due to the numerousbenefitstheyascribedtorenewableenergyduringthefocusgroups,including: o Benefittocleanair/reducingpollution; o Therelatedbenefittopublichealth(moststronglyadvocatedbyrespondentswhotoldus theyhavechildrenwithasthma); o Thebenefitfortheenvironment; o The benefit to the state economy and jobs in a sector they see as promising and full of opportunities,and o Relatedtothis,theyperceiveabenefitincreatingenergyinMichiganandnotelsewhere. Support for energy efficiency is even stronger.fully 84 percent indicate support for requiring Michigan s electric utilities to provide more programs through which customers can affordably makeenergyefficiencyupgradestotheirhomesandbusinesses. Amajorityof51percentregister strongsupport.only14percentofthestate selectorateindicatesoppositiontothepolicy,witha mere7percentstronglyopposed,andanother2percentunsureoftheirviewsonthis. Page4

5 Supportforenergyefficiencyiswidespreadandbroadbased.Amajorityofallkeysubgroupsin thestateindicatesupportforanenergyefficiencyrequirement,including o 81percentofwomenand88percentofmen; o 95percentofDemocrats,82percentofindependents,and74percentofGOPvoters; o 66percentofselfidentifiedTeaPartyvoters; o 82percentof swing legislativevoters; o 85percentofvotersunderage35,86percentof3544yearolds,83percentof4564year olds,and84percentofseniors; o 88percentofDetroitmediamarketresidents,88percentintheNorthern/U.P.markets,80 percentofgrandrapidsmarketresidentsand80intheflintmarket; o 94percentofAfricanAmericansand84percentofwhitevoters;and o Morethanthreequartersofeveryincomecategory. Supportfortheenergyefficiencyrequirementdoesnotwaiverwhenvotersareinformedofthe fee on energy bills associated with the program. When told that here in Michigan energy efficiency programs have been financed through a fee of one dollar and fifty cents per month on everyelectricitybillsince2008.knowingthis,doyousupportoropposerequiringmichigan'selectric utilitiestoprovidemoreprogramsthroughwhichcustomerscanaffordablymakeenergyefficiency upgradestotheirhomesandbusinesses? Supportremainssolid,asonecanseeinthegraphbelow, as threequarters of the electorate supports the measure even after hearing about the personal financialimpact. ReactiontoEnergyEfficiencyRequirement InitiallyandAfterBeingInformedoftheAssociatedFee Notably,manyindividualsinthefocusgroupsindicatedhavingbenefittedfromenergyefficiency programsandrebates.theywereamongthestrongestproponentsoftheprogramandrejected theideaitwasatax. Itisataxonlyonpeoplewhorefusetodoanything(towardbecomingmore energyefficient), statedoneconservativegrandrapidswoman. In summary, Michigan voters espouse strong support for bold state action to transition to renewableenergyandgreaterenergyefficiencyinthestate.theseviewstranscendpartylines, geographicareas,andotherdemographicdistinctions.moreover,theybenefitthecandidateswhich championthem,asvotersseeagreatneedforleadershipatthestatelevelgivendysfunctionindc. Page5