Poll Shows Coal Terminals Favored by Most of the State
New poll results show that Washingtonians largely support proposed coal terminals along the state’s coastline. In true measured Northwest form though, they want to know more.
By Floyd McKay
of Crosscut.com
Coal-export terminals at Bellingham and Longview are supported by half of Washingtonians. At least according to the first comprehensive poll of public support for the controversial ports, released Wednesday. More than 400 households were polled for the survey, with a significant number of those polled still looking for more details on the plans.
The Elway Poll announced similar though slightly less supportive results than polling in recent months by terminal supporters: Overall, 50 percent supported the export terminals, 32 percent were opposed and 19 percent undecided. Only 60 percent of responders knew about the proposals, and half of them knew no details.
The most surprising result of the Elway Poll was respondents’ support for a regional — rather than just localized — review of coal ports’ impacts. Forty-eight percent were in favor, with 43 percent against. That’s up sharply from a January poll for the pro-terminals group Alliance for Northwest Jobs & Exports, which found that 77 percent of Washingtonians opposed a regional review.
In the end, the decision on the scope of the terminals’ review will be made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in concert with Whatcom County (site of GPT), Cowlitz County (the site for Longview’s proposed Millenium terminal) and the Washington Department of Ecology. Public testimony at seven statewide hearings on the Gateway Pacific Terminal will help drive their considerations, as will legal precedents and political pressures.
(To read the full article, go to crosscut.com/2013/01/30/coal-ports/112739/washington-supports-coal-wants-more-info
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Probably polling company employees.
Interesting point about polls. Many people I know have no landline, only cell service. Many of the rest have caller ID and will not answer when the caller is blocked or unrecognized. How does this affect polling?
I think I only managed to pull a B- in statistics, but does a survey of 400 households in the entire that’s of Washington represent a statistically significant number. Then try to apply that to all of Washington, which is highly divided by geography.
When you add it all up, doesn’t seem to be a very good measuring stick to me.
Sorry “…. State of Washington…”
I asked Elway Research, Inc. for the number of respondents by county who live in counties along Rosario and Haro Straits and the Strait of Juan de Fuca (coal vessel traffic routes). H. Stuart Elway replied:
2 in San Juan
2 in Jefferson
3 in Island
9 in Clallam
12 in Whatcom
Lovel Pratt
Candidate for San Juan County Council, District 1
Thanks, Lovel! Very good question to have asked! And very interesting (and telling) answer!