By a margin of more than two to one, New York voters approve of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s
decision to ban hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in that state, according to
a Quinnipiac University Poll released Monday.
In all, 55 percent of voters favored Cuomo's fracking decision, while 25 percent were opposed. Republicans supported the decision by a 42 percent to 40 percent margin, while Democrats supported it by a margin of about six to one, with 67 percent in favor and 11 percent opposed.
Cuomo's decision won overwhelming support across the state, with 56 percent of upstate voters supporting it and 30 percent opposed and suburban voters agreeing with Cuomo by a margin of 52 percent to 27 percent.
In New York City, 56 percent supported the Cuomo move while 19 percent opposed it.
Thirty-three percent of voters said they think more favorably of Cuomo because of the fracking ban, while 16 percent said they think less favorably of the governor. Forty-four percent said the decision made no difference.
"It’s a clean sweep, but not a big sweep, for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s decision to ban fracking in New York State. None of the groups we list is opposed," said Maurice Carroll, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
Quinnipiac surveyed 1,293 New York voters between Dec. 17 and Dec. 21 via cell phones and land lines. The poll had a 2.7 percent margin of error.
The decision represents a blow for energy companies with leases to drill in the state, which sits on top of part of the
Marcellus Shale, one of the largest gas deposits in the United States.