Views about environmental regulation by state (2014) Switch to: State by views about environmental protection

% of adults who say…

StateStricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economyStricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the costNeither/both equallyDon't knowSample size
Alabama47%45%3%5%511
Alaska41%54%2%3%310
Arizona40%54%2%4%653
Arkansas47%49%2%2%311
California34%60%3%4%3,697
Colorado37%57%2%4%504
Connecticut32%64%1%3%377
Delaware32%59%5%5%301
District of Columbia23%71%2%3%303
Florida38%57%2%3%2,020
Georgia37%58%2%3%968
Hawaii26%68%< 1%5%312
Idaho44%53%1%2%320
Illinois37%58%2%2%1,326
Indiana44%52%2%2%654
Iowa35%60%3%2%330
Kansas40%51%4%5%307
Kentucky48%45%3%4%439
Louisiana43%51%2%4%465
Maine33%62%3%2%303
Maryland32%64%2%3%644
Massachusetts31%63%2%4%704
Michigan37%54%4%5%982
Minnesota35%60%2%3%563
Mississippi44%48%5%3%309
Missouri44%52%2%2%642
Montana56%40%2%2%312
Nebraska41%52%2%5%312
Nevada41%52%3%4%314
New Hampshire31%66%2%1%303
New Jersey31%63%2%4%886
New Mexico39%55%3%3%312
New York30%64%2%3%1,966
North Carolina38%55%3%4%1,022
North Dakota46%47%2%5%338
Ohio42%53%3%3%1,132
Oklahoma42%52%3%4%391
Oregon38%56%3%4%419
Pennsylvania40%56%2%2%1,366
Rhode Island28%65%3%4%305
South Carolina43%52%2%3%495
South Dakota48%50%1%2%305
Tennessee45%49%3%4%661
Texas38%56%3%3%2,535
Utah42%51%6%2%315
Vermont27%70%1%2%306
Virginia38%58%2%1%882
Washington28%66%3%3%714
West Virginia55%38%3%4%309
Wisconsin38%58%2%2%600
Wyoming55%38%4%4%316
Sample sizes and margins of error vary from subgroup to subgroup, from year to year and from state to state. You can see the sample size for the estimates in this chart on rollover or in the last column of the table. And visit this table to see approximate margins of error for a group of a given size. Readers should always bear in mind the approximate margin of error for the group they are examining when making comparisons with other groups or assessing the significance of trends over time. For full question wording, see the survey questionnaire.

Learn More: Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy, Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost