Support for Coal

According to surveys of 600 likely voters in Kentucky in October 2008, voters cite jobs and the economy 3-1 over other issues as the most important facing the state. They also strongly favor using coal as an energy source, and even more strongly favor a new coal-gasification facility.

Coal

• Coal is a preferred energy source. Kentucky voters favor using coal as a fuel to produce electricity and other energy (76%), and also favor building additional coal-fueled plants to meet growing demand (75%).
• ‘Coal Gasification’ is familiar to nearly half. Four in ten voters have heard of coal gasification; three in ten voters have heard about efforts to build a new gasification plant in Western Kentucky (28%).
• Most favor a new coal-to-gas facility. Support for the new facility is over 70% across every subgroup, but highest among males (86%), those 35 years and older (83%).

State Issues

• The economy is the most important issue facing the state. By a three-to-one margin (51%), respondents thought jobs and the economy was the more important issue facing the state. Second was education (17%). Climate change/environment was chosen by 1% of respondents.
• Economic growth should be given priority. Voters favor economic growth (48%) over giving priority to the environment (41%).
• Affordable energy prices should be given priority. Voters favor keeping energy prices affordable (55%) over giving priority to the environment (34%).

• Statewide survey of 600 likely voters in Kentucky
• Oversample of 300 likely voters in Western Kentucky (CD1, CD2): Conducted over telephone; field dates: October 10-12, 2008; margin of error: ｱ4.1 percentage points statewide; 5.8 percentage points in oversample area