Albuquerque, NM - The New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce President Lawrence Rael applauded today's results from the 2012 Colorado College State of the Rockies Conservation in the West poll, which found that New Mexico voters across the political spectrum strongly support renewable energy jobs and want to get more of their electricity from renewable energy. Lori Weigel of Public Opinion Strategies (a Republican firm) and Dave Metz of Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (a Democratic firm) conducted the survey for Colorado College.

"This bipartisan survey shows that New Mexicans understand that renewable energy creates jobs and they want more of their electricity to come from wind and solar power-a lot more," said Mr. Rael. "This survey should be a clear guide to policymakers at the PRC and state government, as to how strongly the public desires more renewable energy jobs and generation." 

The NM Green Chamber of Commerce highlighted a few key results:

• Seventy percent of New Mexico voters feel increasing the use of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power will create new jobs in New Mexico.
• Seventy-one percent of New Mexico voters want the existing standard for the amount of energy to be obtained from renewable energy sources, which is currently 20 percent by 2020, to be kept in place while 24 percent want to see this standard lowered.
• Sixty-six percent of New Mexico voters think the highest priority for meeting America's energy needs should be reducing our need for more coal, oil and gas by expanding our use of clean, renewable energy that can be generated in the U.S., compared to 28 percent that think the highest priority should be drilling and digging for more coal, oil, and gas wherever we can find it in the U.S.
• The two energy sources New Mexico voters want to encourage the use of most are solar power (66 percent) and wind power (52 percent).
• The energy source New Mexico voters want to discourage the use of most is coal (63 percent).

New Mexico Results

http://www2.coloradocollege.edu/stateoftherockies/conservation_west_survey/new_mexicoreport.pdf

Western Energy Results

http://www2.coloradocollege.edu/stateoftherockies/conservation_west_survey/energyreport.pdf

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The New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce is a non-partisan association with over 1,100 business members dedicated to advocating on behalf of clean energy, seizing the green business advantage, and supporting local economies. The NM Green Chamber of Commerce members believe that responsible business invests in people, protects air, land and water, and creates long-term sustainable profits.