Industry Groups Tout Support for Pipeline, Drilling
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Chamber of Commerce is joining with Consumer Energy Alliance to call for approval of the transcontinental Keystone XL pipeline project, while another Ohio-based interest group is citingrecent polling by Quinnipiac University showing broad support for natural gas and oil drilling in Ohio.
The Ohio Chamber and CEA partnered to recruit 14,584 Ohio residents who petitioned the U.S. Department of State to approve construction of the pipeline because of the jobs, energy and economic security generated by the project.
The proposed pipeline would transport U.S. and Canadian crude oil to refineries along the Gulf Coast in Texas. The project received Canadian approval in 2010 but is awaiting a permit from the U.S. State Department because it crosses an international border.
"Stronger energy security and lower gas prices are not the only things that come with the KXL pipeline. Construction will bring new jobs, new customers, new business and new investment. New infrastructure projects will boost the economy. We need it now," said Charlotte Hickcox, director of energy and environmental policy for the state chamber.
Michael Whatley, CEA executive vice president, said the pipeline will be the “safest” ever built in the United States, and its construction will create more than 42,000 jobs nationwide. "The pipeline will also generate more than $20 billion in new economic growth for the struggling U.S. economy. The 830,000 barrels of oil per day that will flow through Keystone XL will help reduce fuel prices for families coast to coast, and dramatically improve our energy security by reducing our reliance on Middle Eastern oil,” he said.
Meanwhile, the industry group Energy In Depth-Ohio is touting the results of a Quinnipiac poll showing support for drilling for natural gas and oil in the state. The poll asked respondents which of two positions came closer to their point of view -- if they supported drilling because of the potential economic benefits or if they opposed it because of the potential environmental impact -- 63% of respondents overall said they backed drilling, while 30% were opposed and 7% didn’t know or had no opinion.
In the demographic breakdowns, Republicans overwhelmingly backed drilling, 84% favoring to 10% opposing and 6% having no opinion, while 43% of Democrats supported drilling to 49% opposing it and 7% having no opinion. Fully two-thirds of independents, 66%, support drilling while 27% oppose it and 6% had no opinion.
Looking along gender lines, 72% of men and 56% of women said they support drilling while 24% and 36% respectively said they opposed it, and 4% and 9% respectively had no opinion. About two-thirds of whites said they supported drilling while 28% of blacks said they opposed it, and 6% had no opinion. Blacks opposed drilling 39% to 48% with 13% undecided.
Education did not greatly change support. In the polling, 62% of those surveyed with a college degree supported drilling while 33% opposed it and 5% had no opinion. Among those without a college degree, 64% backed drilling and 29% opposed it while 7% had no opinion.
A greater difference came apparent depending on income, with support rising with income levels. Among those earning less than $50,000 per year, 59% supported drilling, 33% opposed it and 8% had no opinion, while 68% of those earning $50,000 to $100,000 supported drilling, 28% opposing it and 4% offering no opinion. Support climbed to 73% of those earning more than $100,000 annually, while 24% of that income group opposed drilling and 3% had no opinion.
Support levels were largely consistent among age groups, as 64% of those ages 18-34 supported drilling, 32% opposed it and 4% had no opinion. Among those ages 35-54, 64% also supported drilling, while 31% opposed it and 5% had no opinion. Among those age 55 and older, 63% supported drilling, 28% opposed it and 9% had no opinion.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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