A majority of Americans who responded to a recent nationwide poll believe that California’s troubled energy situation will continue to deteriorate in the short-term and that the state’s ongoing woes will prove to be a drag on the national economy, according to Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC).

According to the survey, which was unveiled yesterday by ABEC, 71% of the respondents expect the situation in California will get worse in the coming months. Also, 88% said that the California energy crisis will negatively affect the U.S. economy and 72% said that they feel the situation will have a negative impact on them personally.

In addition, the survey found that nearly three-fourths of the public supports a comprehensive energy policy that includes all fuels, including electricity and coal. The survey also reported that 87% of those responding said that they have experienced an increase in household energy expenditures over the past year. Also, 59% said that they have seen personal household energy expenditures increase a “great deal.”

The survey was conducted for ABEC by Market Strategies of Alexandria, VA, and included a national sample of 1,000 adults nationwide. The survey, conducted from April 4 through April 11, has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.

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