NEW USC POLL SHOWS 71% SUPPORT TO KEEP HISTORIC LAW PREVENTING TOXIC OIL DRILLING NEAR SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS AND NEIGHBORHOODS
Survey Shows Strong Backing Across Age, Race and Gender
SACRAMENTO – Today the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy California (CSHC) shared newly released survey results from the University of Southern California Dornsife showing support to “KEEP THE LAW” (SB 1137) against toxic drilling in neighborhoods at 71% of likely voters.
“Voters know that Big Oil is trying to overturn a historic public safety law that would protect our communities from toxic drilling, and they will overwhelmingly vote to KEEP THE LAW,” said Darryl Molina Sarmiento, executive director of Communities for a Better Environment, a co-founding coalition member of Standing Together Against Neighborhood Drilling L.A. and the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy California. “Our broad and diverse coalition, including youth and working families living next to neighborhood oil drilling, will work every day until the election to ensure that voters have the information they need to protect the health and safety of our communities and keep the law that establishes a 3,200 foot buffer zone from homes, schools and hospitals in place.”
Below please find cross-tab excerpts of the USC survey question:
* California Elections & Policy Poll (CEPP) University of Southern California Dornsife/Price N=1,416 voters; MoE +/- 2.6%
Currently, nearly 30,000 oil and gas wells in California sit within 3200 feet of homes, schools, hospitals and other public areas, exposing more than 2 million people, disproportionally communities of color, to emissions that cause birth defects, respiratory illnesses and cancer. An independent scientific advisory panel in 2021 advised California officials that a 3,200-foot setback between oil wells and sensitive receptors is the minimum distance to protect public health. “KEEP THE LAW” Campaign endorsers include public health groups, community and faith organizations, and environmental justice leaders from across California working to hold oil companies accountable for creating a public health crisis, especially for communities of color.
Press Contact:Robin Swanson, robin@swansoncomm.net or Nicolette Velazquez, nicolette@swansoncomm.net