FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 28, 2014

CONTACT: Dan Crawford, Director of Governmental Relations, NC League of Conservation Voters; dan@nclcv.org, 919-839-0020 or 919-539-1422

Raleigh, NC – According to a new public opinion survey released today, North Carolinians overwhelmingly want much stronger action from state legislators to clean up Duke Energy’s coal ash pollution, and to stop the threat of more spills before they happen. The failure of legislative leadership to take those steps is dragging down the public’s view of the General Assembly and House Speaker Thom Tillis in particular.

The poll finds that more than 75% of North Carolinians – across party lines – don’t think the legislature has made Duke Energy do enough when it comes to cleaning up this winter’s coal ash spill. And the issue is one of the things contributing to Thom Tillis’ lagging popularity.

Key findings from the survey include:

• 80% of voters think Duke Energy should have to clean up the remaining 36,000 tons of coal ash along the Dan River compared to only 13% who think the clean up so far has been adequate. That includes 89% of Democrats, 76% of Republicans, and 72% of independents. Beyond that 76% of voters think the General Assembly should require all coal ash ponds to be removed from waterways to just 16% who think they should be allowed to be capped and left in place.
• 82% of voters are concerned with the legislature passing a bill that didn’t assign financial responsibility for the clean up to Duke Energy, including 71% of voters who say that they’re ‘very concerned.’ 90% of Democrats, 77% of Republicans, and 75% of independents express concerns with the bill.
• Unhappiness with how the coal ash situation has been handled is further eroding Thom Tillis’ already poor poll numbers. Only 20% of voters in the state approve of how Tillis has handled environmental issues to 51% who disapprove. And 63% say the way the coal ash spill has been handled has made them less favorable toward Tillis’ leadership, compared to only 19% who say they consider it a positive. This issue is one of the key things helping to contribute to the overall 25% approval rating Tillis has for his work as Speaker.
• Environmental issues are a key part of the puzzle voters are going to be considering when they head to the polls this year. 90% say that environmental issues will be important to them when considering how to vote, including 58% who say that they will be ‘very important.’ There’s a bipartisan consensus on the importance of the environment, with 94% of Democrats and 86% of both Republicans and independents saying it will factor into their voting decisions this fall.

The poll is part of a $1M issue advocacy campaign urging House Speaker Thom Tillis and Governor McCrory to protect our drinking water from coal ash contamination. The campaign includes the recently aired ad, “Happened Here.” View the ad here.

NC League of Conservation Voters commissioned the Public Policy Polling survey of 519 North Carolina voters that was conducted July 25-26. The full poll analysis with crosstabs is available here.

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NC League of Conservation Voters is a statewide environmental advocacy organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing North Carolina’s natural environment. NCLCV has been working to protect North Carolina’s environment and our citizen’s health for over 40 years, turning environmental values into North Carolina priorities. NCLCV’s vision for the future of North Carolina is that all citizens and our elected decision-makers will better understand and appreciate North Carolina’s unique natural environment, and the integral role it plays in North Carolina’s economy and quality of life.