Hyrdofracking supporters march after a rally last October in Albany. A new Siena College poll shows New Yorkers evenly divided on whether the state should allow hydrofracking. (Lori Van Buren | Albany Times Union, via AP)
Glenn Coin | gcoin@syracuse.com By
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on August 12, 2013 at 9:52 AM, updated August 12, 2013 at 12:06 PM
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on August 12, 2013 at 9:52 AM, updated August 12, 2013 at 12:06 PM
New Yorkers are still evenly split on whether hydrofracking should be allowed in the state, according to the most recent Siena Research Institute poll.
A poll released today shows 41 percent support hydrofracking and 42 oppose it. That's a statistical dead heat in a poll with a 3.4 percent margin of error.
The word is getting out on hydrofracking, though: Just 12 percent of respondents in this poll said they didn't have enough information or an opinion, the lowest in the last year.
Opposition is strongest Upstate, where hydrofracking, if allowed, would likely take place. Upstate residents were opposed to hydrofracking 47 to 42 percent. New York City residents were likewise opposed: 42 to 37 percent. The only region that supported hydrofracking was the New York City suburbs, by a margin of 47 to 37 percent.
The state has had a fracking moratorium in place for five years, and the Department of Environmental Conservation has not yet completed a full environmental report. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, said said in May he will decide before the 2014 elections whether hydrofracking will go forward in New York.
Today, Cuomo said on "The Capitol Pressroom" radio show that the DEC was still awaiting a report from the Department of Health. Health Commissioner Nirav Shah said in February that report would be done "in a few weeks."
According to the Siena poll, Democrats oppose fracking by a margin of 48 to 32 percent.
Republicans continue to favor it by a margin of 55 to 31 percent.
Republicans continue to favor it by a margin of 55 to 31 percent.
Income, however, doesn't seem to make any difference. People who make under $50,000 opposed fracking by 42 to 40 percent; those making over $100,000 supported it 42 to 40 percent. Again, those are both statistical ties.
Contact Glenn Coin at gcoin@syracuse.com or 315-470-3251.
