Americans High on Nuclear, Low on Global Warming
Nicolas Loris /
The way Washington is operating, the fate of nuclear energy may be in trouble in the United States. When something’s unpopular with the American public, the government will find a way to make it move forward. This past weekend’s vote proves to be a pretty good example of that. A recently released Gallup poll shows support for nuclear at an all-time high of 62 percent:
“A majority of Americans have typically favored using nuclear power to provide electricity for the United States since Gallup began asking about this topic in 1994. Support has edged up in the last two years, eclipsing 60% this year for the first time. In addition, 28% of Americans now say they “strongly favor” nuclear power, also the highest Gallup has measured since the question was first asked in 1994.”
Despite not building a plant in three decades, the public’s support for nuclear energy in the United States continues to climb with each passing year. What does the government plan to do about it? Expand loan guarantees for new nuclear plants rather than implement the policy reforms necessary to achieve a thriving, sustainable industry. You can read Heritage’s position on the loan guarantee debate here.