By Brett Wilkins

“Standing in the way of progress on climate, clean energy, and environmental justice is simply not an option for any elected official who cares what their constituents think.”

As U.S. lawmakers and the White House work out the details of the American Jobs Plan—a historic $2.26 trillion infrastructure and employment package—a poll published Thursday revealed overwhelming bipartisan support for the type of investments the plan would make in clean energy and other measures to promote climate action, well-paid union jobs, and justice.

Data for Progress and the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) surveyed over 3,000 likely U.S. voters late last month and found that support for the American Jobs Plan is “through the roof.”

 “The majority of voters from across the political spectrum support investing at least $2 trillion dollars to create good-paying jobs in the clean energy economy while tackling climate change and environmental racism because it is the right thing to do.”—Pete Maysmith, LCV

“Across 11 swing congressional districts, average support for the plan is 78% and in the swing Senate states of Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, an average of 80% of registered voters support the government making investments to create good-paying jobs in clean energy,” the groups said in a statement.

Ninety percent of surveyed Democratic voters, 76% of Independents, and 63% of Republicans said they support government investment in clean energy and well-paid jobs.

Respondents were asked if they support the American Jobs Plan, which they were told entails:

• Repairing roads and bridges to be more resilient to flooding, extreme weather, and natural disasters;
• Eliminating all lead pipes and upgrading aging drinking water systems;
• Expanding broadband internet service to reach all Americans;
• Building new renewable energy projects including wind and solar power;
• Investing in new American energy innovation;
• Reducing pollution and improving energy efficiency in homes, schools, and child care centers; and
• Cleaning up abandoned mines and abandoned oil and gas wells.

Seventy-one percent of all poll respondents—including 92% of Democrats, 70% of independents, and 49% of Republicans—said they support the plan.

Individual components of the American Jobs Plan also polled very well, with 80% of all surveyed voters backing investments to eliminate all lead pipes and service lines in the nation’s drinking water system; 69% supporting an expansion of federal tax credits and incentives to boost U.S. manufacturing and clean energy technologies; and 64% in favor of delivering 40% of the benefits from climate and clean energy infrastructure investments to low-income communities, communities of color, and other disadvantaged populations.

“Voters have made it overwhelmingly clear that they support the investments of the American Jobs Plan in climate, clean energy jobs, and justice,” Data for Progress executive director Sean McElwee said in a statement. “Our polling finds bipartisan support for the climate and clean energy pieces of the proposal, even amongst voters in swing states.”

Pete Maysmith, LCV’s senior vice president for campaigns, said that “standing in the way of progress on climate, clean energy, and environmental justice is simply not an option for any elected official who cares what their constituents think.”

“From N.Y.-14 to Ga.-14, the majority of voters from across the political spectrum support investing at least $2 trillion dollars to create good-paying jobs in the clean energy economy while tackling climate change and environmental racism because it is the right thing to do for people and the planet,” he added.

The new poll was published a day after more than 660 progressive groups demanded that congressional Democrats reject “false climate solutions” like fossil fuels and instead push for a total transition to renewable energy to effectively combat the climate emergency.

 

Brett Wilkins is staff writer for Common Dreams.

Editor’s note: this article originally appeared on Common Dreams