Poll: Americans’ concerns about energy near record lows

The rates at which Americans are concerned about energy are at or near their lowest levels on record, new polling found.

Gallup found that by various measures, concerns about energy affordability, access and similar issues are low. Furthermore, Americans aren’t clamoring to produce more energy like oil and natural gas domestically.

Gallup attributed the findings mainly to low prices for oil and other forms of energy.

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“Energy has been a key issue at times in the U.S., particularly when it has been scarce or particularly costly,” it said Monday in a statement releasing the findings from the recent polling.

“But now, with relatively low gas prices and little evidence of energy shortages in the U.S., Americans’ concern has declined and is currently at or near record lows.”

The number of respondents who worry “a great deal” about availability and access to energy is now 25 percent, down 2 percentage points from last year and the lowest in the 18 years Gallup has asked the questions.

The same share, 25 percent, say the energy situation in the United States is “very serious.” That number did tick up 2 percentage points but is almost the lowest since the 1970s.

More respondents said they prioritize the environment over energy production, at 59 percent versus 34 percent. That split is the same as 2016, and ties for the largest split for that question since pollsters began asking in 2001, Gallup said.