New Poll Finds 94 Percent of Louisianians Will Consider a Candidate’s Coastal Platform When Voting
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Poll Finds 94 Percent of Louisianians Will Consider a Candidate’s Coastal Platform When Voting
Majority Want Next Governor to Protect Coastal Restoration Funding, Make Restoration a Priority
(NEW ORLEANS—Sept. 20, 2015) This fall, Louisianians will elect a new governor who will have a significant role in moving forward the state’s 50-year Coastal Master Plan. Nearly 94 percent indicate that a candidate’s commitment to protect and restore coastal Louisiana will be important to them when they vote, according to a new statewide poll of registered, likely voters released today.
Those surveyed also recognize the important role the next governor will have in protecting existing funding and securing additional funding for projects contained in the master plan. An overwhelming majority (90 percent) want the next governor to ensure funds currently dedicated to coastal restoration are not spent on anything but coastal restoration, and 87 percent want the next governor to work to identify and secure additional funding for future projects identified in the state’s Coastal Master Plan.
Across the board, the poll found tremendous statewide support for coastal restoration:
- 85 percent believe restoration of coastal Louisiana should be a high priority for the new governor
- 95 percent want the new governor to commit to move quickly and get started building coastal restoration projects
- 78 percent believe protecting and restoring coastal Louisiana is as important as other issues facing the state
- 97 percent say Louisiana’s coastal areas and wetlands are important to them personally
- Two-thirds (66 percent) indicate support for river diversions to build new land in Louisiana
The statewide poll sampled 917 registered, likely Louisiana voters and was conducted by Baton Rouge-based Southern Media & Opinion Research, Inc. between July 27 and July 30, 2015. The poll was funded by the National Audubon Society on behalf of the Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition and has a margin of error of ± 4.0.
Contact:
Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, evancleve@edf.org
Jacques Hebert, National Audubon Society, 504.264.6849, jhebert@audubon.org
Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org
Jimmy Frederick, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, 225.767.4181, jimmy.frederick@crcl.org
John Lopez, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, 504.421.7348, jlopez@saveourlake.org
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The Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition is working to protect people, wildlife and jobs by reconnecting the river with its wetlands. As our region faces the crisis of threatening land loss, we offer science-based solutions through a comprehensive approach to restoration. Composed of conservation, policy, science and outreach experts from Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, we are located in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Washington, D.C.; and around the United States. Learn more at MississippiRiverDelta.org and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.