GILLETTE, Wyo.— Newly-released polling data reportedly shows that Wyoming residents strongly supported in-state oil and gas development prior to Russia invading Ukraine, the Petroleum Association of Wyoming (PAW) announced Wednesday.
The poll in question was conducted in February 2022 and was comprised of a cross-section of likely voters in Wyoming, per PAW. Women represented 52 percent of respondents while men represented 48 percent and most of all respondents were registered republicans while 16 percent were democrats and 11 percent were independent.
Data collected during the poll revealed that 88 percent of Wyoming voters polled approve of oil and natural gas production in Wyoming, including 70 percent of voters who strongly approve, PAW said in a March 23 release.
More than 75 percent of those surveyed indicated that they felt oil and gas exploration, grazing, timber, and mining as economic activities could be compatible with recreation, hunting, fishing, and preservation, per PAW, and believe that the natural gas and oil industries play a vital role in economic success, environmental sustainability, and national and state security.
Around 86 percent of voters, when asked, indicated they felt their local economy received either a great deal or good deal of economic benefit from drilling while the same percentage said they felt the instability in the Middle East and Russia reinforced the national security value of oil and natural gas production in Wyoming, PAW states.
When asked about climate change and curbing carbon emissions, around 74 percent of those polled said that increasing the use of natural gas is the best way to reduce carbon emissions and was a good way to fight climate change without disrupting everyday lives.
On that same subject, 74 percent of those surveyed said they were not willing to pay more for energy to reduce the effects of climate change, according to the release.
“The results of this poll show that the people of this state know the truth- that Wyoming’s natural gas and oil industry is meeting the needs of a global economy in a safe and sustainable manner,” Pete Obermueller, president of PAW, said in a statement. “Here in Wyoming, we understand that the increased domestic production is the key to tempering the impacts of global instability on petroleum markets and bringing down gas prices.”
