Small Business Majority

Solving Small Businesses' Biggest Problems

• 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
• 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
• 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
• 
• 
• 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
• 
  • 
  • 
• 
• 
• 

 

 

 

 

Small Business Owners Support Government Investments in Renewable Energy and EPA Clean Air Standards

Publisher: Small Business Majority
Published: April 24, 2012

 

Introduction

Small business owners across the country are working to rebuild our economy. These entrepreneurs, the engine of job creation, are doing everything they can to hire, grow and move their businesses forward. As part of these efforts, scientific opinion polling in six states— Colorado, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia—shows that America’s entrepreneurs want pragmatic, innovative policies that help guide them into a competitive, modern clean energy economy.

Main Findings

• Small business owners believe government investments in clean energy have an important role in boosting our national economy and creating jobs:
  71% of respondents believe it’s important government continues to invest in clean energy, while only 29% say government investments in clean energy and energy efficiency are a waste of money.
  
  

  Figure 1: Owners agree clean energy investments will boost economy, create jobs

  Which of these statements comes closer to your point of view, even if neither one is exactly right: Government investments in clean energy and energy efficiency have an important role in boosting our national economy and creating jobs now. OR Government investments in clean energy and energy efficiency are a waste of money, and neither play an important role in growing our national economy or creating jobs.

  
  
  


• Despite the failure of Solyndra, small businesses do not believe government should stop investing in renewable energy technologies:
  The majority of small business owners (58%) agree the failure of Solyndra—which received a $535 million loan guarantee from the federal government—doesn’t mean the federal government should stop investing in renewable energy technologies.
  
  

  Figure 2: Owners support renewable energy despite Solyndra’s failure

  Should the failure of Solyndra mean the government should stop investing in renewable energy technologies, like solar and wind?

  
  
  
  
• Small businesses support rules recently released by the Environmental Protection Agency requiring new power plants to reduce previously unlimited greenhouse gas emissions:
  Three-quarters of respondents, or 76%, are in favor of the EPA determining federal limits on power plants’ emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.
  
  

  Figure 3: Majority favors new rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions

  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to soon release rules requiring new power plants to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide they emit. There currently are no federal limits on the carbon pollution that comes from industrial sources such as power plants and factories. Generally speaking, do you favor or oppose the EPA regulating carbon pollution from power plants?

  
  
  

Downloads: Small Business Owners Support Government Investments in Renewable Energy and EPA Clean Air Standards
FULL REPORT	PRESS RELEASE