64% Support Offshore Oil Drilling, 55% Favor Deepwater Drilling

64% Support Offshore Oil Drilling, 55% Favor Deepwater Drilling

With news reports that the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico may not be nearly as bad as has been long thought, support for offshore oil drilling has tied its highest level of support since the Gulf oil leak began. Similarly, a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that support for deepwater drilling like that which caused the incident in the Gulf is up to 55%.

Sixty-four percent (64%) of U.S. voters now believe offshore oil drilling should be allowed, an eight-point jump from mid-July. Just 21% disagree and feel such drilling should not be permitted, while 15% more are not sure.

Support for offshore oil drilling is at its highest level since mid-May. That support has ranged from 56% to 64% in regular tracking since the oil rig explosion in the Gulf in late April that caused the leak. Still, 72% favored offshore drilling just after President Obama’s announcement in late March that he was lifting the longtime ban on such drilling.

Support for deepwater oil drilling is up eight points from early July and is the highest level of support measured yet. Twenty-five percent (25%) oppose deepwater drilling, and another 20% are undecided.

Sixty-six percent (66%) remain at least somewhat concerned that new offshore drilling will cause environmental problems, but that’s down six points from mid-July and 13 points from early May. Thirty-one percent (31%) don’t share that concern. This includes 32% who are Very Concerned and seven percent (7%) who are Not At All Concerned.

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