80% of Connecticut Voters Agree with Governor Lamont’s Plan to Increase Natural Gas Use to Offset Rising Energy Costs

(Connecticut) – In a newly released survey, an astounding 80% of Connecticut voters agree with Governor Lamont’s recent comments to increase natural gas supplies, working with renewables, in order to offset rising energy costs and meet increasing power demands.

While Lamont has previously advocated for zero-carbon policies, he announced at his State of the State address in January that the state can’t “rule out natural gas…where most of [Connecticut’s] power comes from and will for the foreseeable future.” He argued again in March it’s an approach that “would be less expensive, a benefit to the state’s middle-class residents who he said ‘are getting hammered by electricity prices.’” Governor Josh Shapiro (D-PA) also spoke in February about his goal to accelerate permitting reforms to help move natural gas from states like his, to states like Connecticut “that need natural gas, they need to get their prices down.”

An overwhelming majority of voters (70%) do not believe Connecticut should move away from natural gas, underscoring the need for an all of the above energy strategy that includes natural gas working in partnership with renewable energy resources.

Additionally, 62% prefer their representatives in Congress pursue a bipartisan, all of the above approach when it comes to meeting energy demand, compared to just 26% who believe their elected officials should side more with Senators like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren in support of a Green New Deal.

When presented with six different proposals to address Connecticut and New England’s energy challenges – the top initiative was support for building more renewables with more natural gas, to cut carbon without sacrificing reliability and affordability (68%). Most notably, the one proposal that was less popular than burning more coal (34% support), is essentially New England’s energy reality as it stands today: blocking new natural gas pipelines, burning more fuel oil instead of natural gas, and becoming reliant on foreign sources of energy (23% support).

“As energy bills increase across the Northeast in an already uncertain economic environment, it is no surprise that residents care first and foremost about affordable and reliable energy,” said former Philadelphia Democratic Mayor Michael Nutter and Natural Allies Leadership Council Co-Chair. “Coming out of the 2024 election, Democrats need to look to Governors like Ned Lamont who are identifying common sense policies that put affordability and kitchen table issues back to the front and center of our Party. Advancing balanced energy policies that include renewables and natural gas is key to tackling our energy affordability crisis and climate challenges together.”

The survey also found that Connecticut residents are very concerned with their financial well-being, which correlated with their opinions on energy usage, policy, and resources.

• 76% of Connecticut voters are concerned with their current economic situation
• 81% feel that their electric bills are too high

When it comes to energy sources, the research found that solar (+58%) and natural gas (+45%) are the two most popular forms of energy in Connecticut. It’s worth noting that even among Democrats, natural gas is positive by a 33-point margin (51% -18%). Offshore wind and nuclear are both similarly popular, while oil and coal are all viewed unfavorably.

“It’s hard to find any issue where 80 percent of Americans agree on anything, but Ned Lamont is on the right path when it comes to natural gas, nuclear and renewables. Democrats across the country need to get back to basics on energy policy. Natural gas is popular, it’s responsible for nearly two-thirds of America’s carbon reductions, and provides an affordable, reliable, low-carbon foundation, as we scale up renewables like wind and solar,” added former Congressman and Natural Allies Leadership Council Co-Chair Tim Ryan (D-OH). “New England needs serious, bipartisan solutions on energy now, and Gov. Lamont gets it.”

The poll was commissioned by Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future, and conducted by MAD Global Strategy, a bipartisan public strategy firm. The data is based on a text-to-web survey of 500 registered voters residing in the state of Connecticut, on May 14-18, as part of a larger 8-state regional survey (n=4,000) in the Northeastern United States on energy related issues. Additional states will be rolled out in the coming days.

For additional survey questions and results, click here for the full memorandum.