Small Businesses Support Clean Energy Standards and Want Congressional Action on EPA Nominee

Publisher: 
Small Business Majority
Date: 
Wednesday, May 8, 2013

National opinion polling shows small business owners believe government can play an important role in creating financial incentives that help small businesses take energy efficiency measures. As the drivers of the economy, small businesses want lawmakers to do what they were sent to Washington to do, including holding an up or down vote on nominees to lead government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Polling found small businesses support the president’s nomination to lead the EPA after learning about her qualifications. A strong 58% support nominee Gina McCarthy, who is currently the EPA’s air chief. McCarthy has more than three decades of public service at the local, state and federal levels, has worked for five Republican governors and has a reputation for working well with business and industry leaders. What’s more, small business owners support EPA action to limit carbon emissions that cause climate change and set standards for existing power plants, refineries and other major emitters.

Key Findings

Small businesses believe government can play an important role in creating financial incentives that help small businesses: 56% of small businesses believe government can play an important role in creating financial incentives that help small businesses take energy efficiency measures, saving businesses money and reducing energy consumption.

Owners agree government can play an important role in creating financial incentives that help small businesses take energy efficiency measures

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Government can play an important role in creating financial incentives that help small businesses to take energy efficiency measures, saving businesses money and reducing energy consumption?

Small business owners support EPA efforts to keep the air clean and reduce climate change: A vast 65% of respondents support the EPA’s rules to reduce mercury and other toxic emissions that get into the air from power plants; 52% support the EPA regulating carbon emissions from existing power plants that cause climate change.

Small businesses support the EPA regulating mercury and other toxic emissions that get into the air from power plants

The EPA has created rules to reduce the emissions of mercury, arsenic, chromium, nickel and acid gases from new and existing power plants. Generally speaking, do you favor or oppose the EPA regulating mercury and other toxic emissions that get into the air from power plants?

Small business owners support Gina McCarthy’s nomination to head the EPA: 58% of respondents support Gina McCarthy’s nomination based on her bipartisan experience and her experience working with business and industry leaders.

Small business owners support nominee Gina McCarthy to head EPA

Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose Gina McCarthy’s nomination to head the EPA?

A vast majority of small business owners think Congress is obstructing nominees and doing a “poor job” of confirming nominees in a timely manner: 68% of respondents said that Congress was going a “poor job” at confirming nominees to lead federal agencies in a timely manner so that government can function effectively.

Small business owners overwhelmingly believe Congress doing a ‘poor job’ of confirming nominees to lead federal government agencies in a timely manner so that government can function effectively

In general, do you think Congress is doing an excellent job, a good job, a fair job, or a poor job at confirming nominees to lead federal government agencies in a timely manner so that government can function effectively?

Press Release

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