A new survey finds that 67% of South Dakota voters support increased access to domestic oil and natural gas resources.

It seems that the rest of the country shares the same view. Polls from Pew, CNN, Zogby and others indicate that the majority of Americans from coast to coast are in support of more energy exploration in the United States.

This is a critical shift in public opinion, and one that our leaders in Washington need to recognize. According to federal government data, the United States has enough oil to fuel more than 65 million cars for 60 years and enough natural gas to heat 60 million homes for 160 years. But current policies restrict access to 85% of the outer continental shelf and 83% of onshore federal lands.

South Dakotans and people across the country understand the importance of developing America’s abundant resources.  And with advanced technology, we can efficiently explore these resources while protecting the environment. 

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About the Survey
The poll was conducted by telephone between July 10 and July 20, 2008 by Harris Interactive and commissioned by API. The survey of 500 registered South Dakota voters who are likely to vote in the upcoming presidential election found 67 percent of those surveyed said they somewhat or strongly support increased access to domestic oil and natural gas resources. Only 17 percent of respondents said they opposed increased access. An overwhelming 99 percent said they are somewhat or very concerned about the price of gasoline. Click here to view the survey methodology.