Washington Voters Express Clear Support for Oil by Rail, Rail Safety

By a strong margin, voters in Washington say they support shipping crude oil by rail through the Pacific Northwest, and that shipping products by rail is safe.

A new poll shows strong support for efforts to improve the shipment of crude oil by rail over a complete ban on the energy source. It’s also worth noting the poll was conducted after the June 3 train derailment in Mosier, Ore.  Here’s a sampling of the findings:

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Voters in Washington also expressed strong support for the Northwest’s rail infrastructure and believe in the safe movement of products by rail:

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When asked which statement comes closest to their own opinion, voters overwhelmingly supported the idea that Washington should encourage railroads and regulators to improve the safety of all hazardous material over banning oil shipments.

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Voters also voices strong support about the importance of America’s energy independence. When asked whether voters agreed or disagreed with the following statement, participants again responded strongly in favor of creating long-term energy independence form the Middle East.

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The poll was conducted by G2 Public Strategies.