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As the 2008 hurricane season officially opens, residents in the energy-producing coastal states are concerned about a storm's impact on fuel supplies and the lack of national support for the region.

Those are two key findings of a new poll of 1,200 residents of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, an area known as America's Energy Coast.

The poll, conducted for the America's WETLAND Foundation May 15-22 by the national polling firm, The Kitchens Group, shows 84% think a major storm in the Gulf of Mexico would affect oil prices throughout the nation.

Almost nine out of 10 - 86% - of the residents of the four America's Energy Coast states also think the federal government should be responsible for protecting coastal areas that supply energy to the U.S.

But residents of the four energy-producing states, which supply 90% of the offshore oil production in the country, strongly believe the rest of the nation does not really think about the vulnerability of the coast: 84% agreed that Americans take for granted the role the energy-producing states play in the security of the nation.

The poll has a 2.8% margin of error, which means if all residents of the four America's Energy Coast states were polled, their responses would not vary more than 2.8 points up or down from those of the 1,200 surveyed. An equal number of residents in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama were surveyed for the poll.

"Rarely do you find four states with such a large consistency in public opinion, which is why it is so interesting that registered voters in these four states are so aligned in their thinking that the region is in need of protection for its resources," said Jim Kitchens, founder of The Kitchens Group.

Another interesting finding was that nine out of 10 polled said the federal government should invest in coastal protection of the coastal areas because of all the oil and gas pipelines that run through the area.

More than eight out of 10 ? 82% ? said the federal government should do more to provide a percentage of offshore oil and gas revenues to the states that produce the energy.

Some 62% said they believe there is a link between coastal protection in Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Alabama and the price of gas.

"These Gulf states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama have come together in a collaborative effort called America's Energy Coast," said Sidney Coffee, senior advisor to the America's WETLAND Foundation. "For the first time, we have industry at the table with the national environmental community, scientists and policy makers, all working together to forge an accord to ensure a sustainable coastal region and the activities that take place there for the benefit of the nation. That accord will be unveiled in Texas in July."

The America's WETLAND Foundation poll showed 75% of the energy coast citizens agreed that since coastal communities along the Gulf coast supply the workforce and services to support energy production, they should receive federal assistance to help protect themselves and the nation's energy assets.

"The entire country should be concerned about the potential effects a major storm could have on energy assets in the Gulf coastal region," said King Milling, chair of the America's WETLAND Foundation.

"A major spike in oil and gas prices this summer would have significant impacts on the nation's economy," Milling said. "This coastline supports some of our country's most critical energy and economic activities. Hurricane season always calls into question the nation's commitment to protect this vital landscape and its communities."

The America's WETLAND Foundation recently launched the America's Energy Coast initiative to raise the level of influence and recognition of the Gulf Coast region as critical to the nation's economic, environmental and energy security. The initiative is developing actions to ensure the economic and ecological sustainability of the Gulf's energy producing-states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

The America's Energy Coast is part of the AWF's Climate, Energy and the Coast (CEC) Project, which is aimed at advancing science, technology, best practices, and policy for a sustainable future. CEC initiatives include:
? Forging collaborations among the region's universities to build capacity in science and engineering;
? Building public awareness of needs to address our nation's large-scale ecosystem restoration efforts; and
? Fostering collaboration among the world's great deltas, including America's great Mississippi River delta, to seek sustainable solutions for common challenges.

For more information, please visit www.americaswetland.com.

Notes: The America's WETLAND Foundation paid for this poll, conducted by the Kitchens Group.

Methodology
Twelve hundred likely voters in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas were interviewed in a random sample taken May 15-22, 2008. There were 300 respondents in each of the four states. Respondents were screened for voter registration and their likelihood of voting in the 2008 Presidential election. The sample was balanced according to all known demographic factors. All interviews were conducted by telephone. The margin of error for this survey is ± 2.8%, with a 95% confidence level. Within each state, the margin of error for this survey is ± 5.6%, with a 95% confidence level.
** NOTE: ALL COLUMNS MAY NOT EQUAL 100% DUE TO ROUNDING OF DECIMALS.

Do you think a major storm in the Gulf of Mexico would affect oil prices across the country?
definitely 51%
probably 33%
probably not 6%
definitely not 4%
unsure 5%
Eighty-four percent (84%) of voters think a major storm in the Gulf of Mexico will affect oil prices across the country. This view is strongest among 18-34 year old voters, big city voters, voters who live 50-100 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, and voters with annual household incomes of $75,000-$100,000

Do you believe there is a link between coastal protection in Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana and the price of gas?
definitely 30%
probably 32%
probably not 14%
definitely not 12%
unsure 12%
Sixty-two percent (62%) of voters believe there is a link between coastal protection in Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana and the price of gas. This view is strongest among 18-34 year old voters, voters with annual household incomes of $75,000- $100,000, and Hispanic voters.

Do you think the federal government should be responsible for protecting coastal areas that supply energy to the U.S.?
definitely 55%
probably 31%
probably not 5%
definitely not 4%
unsure 4%
Eighty-six percent (86%) of voters think the federal government should be responsible for protecting coastal areas that supply energy to the U.S. Subgroups most likely to hold this view include 18-34 year old voters, African American voters, and Hispanic voters.

Energy industry pipelines that run through our coastal area serve the entire nation and could be damaged during large storms. Since the Gulf region energy companies provide the nation with its off shore energy, the nation should invest in protection of coastal areas and those energy assets.
strongly agree 62%
somewhat agree 28%
somewhat disagree 4%
strongly disagree 4%
unsure 3%
Ninety percent (90%) of voters agree the nation should invest in protection of the coastal areas and energy assets. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of voters strongly agree.

The coastal communities along the Gulf coast supply the workforce and community services to support the energy industry. Those communities should receive Federal impact assistance to help protect themselves.
strongly agree 41%
somewhat agree 34%
somewhat disagree 11%
strongly disagree 9%
unsure 5%
Three-quarters (75%) of voters agree communities along the Gulf coast that supply the workforce and community services to support the energy industry should receive Federal impact assistance to help protect themselves. Agreement is strongest among 18-34 year old voters, voters who live 50-100 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, Catholics, voters with annual household incomes of $50,000-$75,000, African American voters, Hispanic voters, and Louisiana voters.

If our state helps produce a large percentage of energy for the entire nation, then the federal government should help our state protect the coastline.
strongly agree 67%
somewhat agree 23%
somewhat disagree 3%
strongly disagree 5%
unsure 2%
Ninety percent (90%) of voters agree if a state helps produce a large percentage of energy for the entire nation, then the federal government should help the state protect the coastline. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of all significant subgroups strongly agree.

The federal government should do more to provide a percentage of oil and gas revenues for the states that produce the energy.
strongly agree 53%
somewhat agree 29%
somewhat disagree 7%
strongly disagree 6%
unsure 5%
Eighty-two percent (82%) of voters agree the federal government should do more to provide a percentage of oil and gas revenues for the states that produce the energy. Subgroups most likely to agree include African American voters, Hispanic voters, and Louisiana voters. Over half (53%) of voters strongly agree the federal government should do more.

America takes for granted the role that the energy producing states have in the security of the nation.
strongly agree 52%
somewhat agree 32%
somewhat disagree 8%
strongly disagree 3%
unsure 6%
Eighty-four percent (84%) of voters agree America takes for granted the role that the energy producing states have in the security of the nation. Fifty-two percent (52%) of voters strongly agree with this statement.

Mon Jun 02 10:27:00 CDT 2008

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