TALLAHASSEE — Last week, clean energy advocates, in the spirit of “Sunshine Week”, made a public records request for all correspondence between the governor and Department of Environmental Protection related to Gov. Rick Scott’s unwritten, but standing policy banning the words “climate change” and “global warming” in public documents and other communications. They also delivered tens of thousands of signed petitions demanding the DEP Inspector General investigate the matter.
A newly released poll of 923 registered Florida voters illustrates just how out of step Gov. Scott’s climate change denial and “gag order” is with the people he was elected to serve: a whopping 76% of Floridians surveyed find climate change, renewable energy and environmental protection important issues.
Q: How important are issues of climate change, renewable energy and the environment to you: very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not important at all?
Very important…………………………………………. 52%
Somewhat important ……………………………….. 24%
Not too important …………………………………….. 12%
Not important at all…………………………………… 9%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 3%
“We find it telling that an issue deemed important by more than three quarters of Floridians has essentially been banned from discussion by our climate-denier-in-chief, Gov. Rick Scott,” said Progress Florida Executive Director Mark Ferrulo.
“Florida is on the front lines of climate change, with its extended coastline and a large metropolitan area like Miami jeopardized by sea level rise, so strong bipartisan concern over this issue is not surprising,” said Tom Jensen of Public Policy Polling (PPP).
“Instead of listening to his oil industry donors, Gov. Scott should start listening to Florida’s citizens and scientists who overwhelmingly agree that climate change is an important issue,” said Brant Olson, Campaign Director, Forecast the Facts.
PPP surveyed 923 registered Florida voters, including 425 Republican primary voters and 371 Democratic primary voters, from March 19th to 22nd. The margin of error for the survey is +/- 3.2%, +/- 4.8 for the GOP sample, and +/- 5.1% for the Democratic portion. 80% of interviews for the poll were conducted over the phone with 20% interviewed over the Internet to reach respondents who don’t have landline telephones.
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