Green Blog: Poll: Most N.Y. Voters Link Superstorm to Climate Change

New York State voters overwhelmingly say they believe that Hurricane Sandy demonstrated the effects of climate change, according to a poll released Monday by Siena College.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Most New Yorkers, according to a new poll, agree with a? message left in Queens last month that Hurricane Sandy was tied to global climate change.

Sixty-nine percent of voters tied the storm, as well as Tropical Storms Irene and Lee last year, to global climate change, compared with 24 percent who believed they were isolated weather events, the poll found.

But some skepticism remained: while 8 in 10 Democrats said the storms demonstrated climate change, Republicans were divided, with 46 percent citing climate change and 44 percent describing the storms as isolated episodes.

Voters were generally pleased with the performance of their elected officials in the wake of the storm, according to the poll, which was conducted from last Monday to Thursday. Sixty-seven percent of voters surveyed said Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo did an excellent or good job handling the storm, 61 percent approved of President Obama?s performance, and 53 percent were pleased with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In New York City, 60 percent of voters said they approved of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg?s performance, and in the city and its suburbs, 63 percent said the Metropolitan Transportation Authority did an excellent or good job with the storm.

Voters were less impressed by two power utilities. Voters statewide were mixed in their perceptions of Consolidated Edison, although in New York City, 54 percent said the utility did an excellent or good job. The much-maligned Long Island Power Authority received negative reviews: nearly half of voters statewide, and 60 percent of those on Long Island, described the authority?s performance as poor.

The poll, conducted by telephone of 822 registered voters, has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.

Source: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/03/poll-most-n-y-voters-link-superstorm-to-climate-change/?partner=rss&emc=rss

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