SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. -
Wednesday WCAX headed to the Vermont Business Expo to get reaction to our just released polling results on energy issues in Vermont.
Up first for our 607 respondents-- wind turbines on Vermont's ridgelines: 70 percent support it, 17 percent say not here and 13 percent were not sure.
"Vermonters need to interpret that as something that is not necessarily an eyesore, but as something that can be beautiful and show that we are a green state," said Annie Small of Safeguard Business Solutions.
Gov. Peter Shumlin is on the side of the majority when it comes to wind.
"Obviously we have to be prudent in those decisions and we are being prudent, but I'm proud of the fact that as governor we are finally building wind in Vermont. We have waited too long," said Shumlin, D-Vermont.
Where the governor is not with the masses is on whether CVPS should return millions to ratepayers or if that money should go toward energy efficiency projects. The results: 67 percent say give the money back, 24 percent say use it for weatherization efforts and 9 percent were not sure.
Randy Brock is running for governor as a Republican. He has started an online petition to give the money back to customers.
"I am surprised the number is as low as it is because I don't think I've spoken to a person who doesn't believe that money should be returned in some form and now," Brock said.
Vermont subsidies for alternative energy generation had support in the expo hall and with respondents: 63 percent of those polled support them, 24 percent don't and 13 percent were not sure.
"If we are going to subsidize, I think we should target subsidies and I think alternative energies are an area that if we are going to subsidize, we should subsidize," said Paul Millman of Chroma Technology.
The poll was split when it comes to what to do with Vermont Yankee: 45 percent say Vermont should try to close it, 44 percent say keep it open and 11 percent were not sure.
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POLL:
Our pollster, Castleton Polling Institute, asked 607 registered Vermont voters how they would vote.
Here are the results:
QUESTION: Do you support or oppose building wind energy turbines along the state's ridgelines?
| |
PERCENT
|
SUPPORT IT
|
69.4% |
OPPOSE IT
|
17.3% |
NOT SURE/IT DEPENDS
|
13.2% |
| REFUSED |
.2% |
QUESTION: Do you support or oppose the merger of CVPS (Central Vermont Public Service) and Green Mountain Power (GMP)?
| |
PERCENT
|
SUPPORT MERGER
|
36.4% |
OPPOSE MERGER
|
28.7% |
NOT SURE/IT DEPENDS
|
33.4% |
| REFUSED |
1.3% |
QUESTION: Do you think that CVPS should repay the $21 million raised to prevent bankruptcy in 2001 to ratepayers, or do you think that money should go toward weatherization and energy efficiency efforts?
| |
PERCENT
|
RETURN TO RATEPAYERS
|
66.4% |
PUT TOWARD WEATHERIZATION, EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS
|
23.4% |
NOT SURE/IT DEPENDS
|
9.6% |
| REFUSED |
.3% |
QUESTION: Do you think the Vermont state government, generally, should subsidize alternative energy generation?
| |
PERCENT
|
YES, IT SHOULD
|
63.1% |
NO, IT SHOULD NOT
|
24.1% |
NOT SURE/IT DEPENDS
|
12.7% |
| REFUSED |
.2% |
QUESTION: In your opinion, should the state of Vermont continue to try to close Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant?
| |
PERCENT
|
YES, TRY TO CLOSE VT YANKEE
|
44.8% |
NO, DO NOT TRY TO CLOSE VT YANKEE
|
44.2% |
NOT SURE/IT DEPENDS
|
10.7% |
| REFUSED |
.3% |
This survey was conducted for WCAX, WDEV and Vermont Business Magazine by the Castleton Polling Institute at Castleton College. A total of 607 registered voters were interviewed statewide by telephone between May 7th to May 16th.
Those interviewed were selected from a random sample of registered voters in Vermont
The margin for error, according to standards customarily used by statisticians, is no more than plus or minus 4 percentage points.
