API President Jack Gerard Comments on Monmouth University Coastal State Poll

WASHINGTON – American Petroleum Institute President Jack Gerard issued the following statement on a Monmouth University Mid-Atlantic coastal community survey, which found that 46 percent of coastal residents in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia support oil and natural gas drilling off their coasts, compared with 37 percent who are opposed and 12 percent who have no opinion. Two years ago, coastal resident support for drilling in the Atlantic stood at 33 percent, opposition at 40 percent and no opinion at 24 percent. Moreover, the majority of residents in tourism-rich coastal Maryland (65 percent), Delaware (52 percent), and New Jersey (51 percent) support drilling for oil in the Atlantic Ocean.

“This survey clearly shows that Mid-Atlantic coastal residents understand the importance of oil and natural gas to their economic future. They understand the benefits leasing, exploration and production will mean to their local community, and to America -- in terms of revenues, jobs and energy security. And they recognize that this development is compatible with tourism and can be conducted in an environmentally safe way. The majority of Americans agree. A poll, conducted in February by Harris Interactive and commissioned by the American Petroleum Institute, found that 61 percent of Americans who voted in the 2008 presidential election support access to offshore oil and natural gas resources. Only 26 percent of those polled opposed exploration and development of those resources.”

Updated: June 4, 2009