ANDREWS Texas May 11 2010 Texans overwhelmingly support the Waste Control Specialists low-level radioactive waste disposal facility in Andrews County in far west Texas according to the results of a new statewide poll released today by the Andrews Industrial Foundation (AIF).
Sixty-one (61) percent of Texans support the disposal of low-level radioactive waste when initially asked and that number increased to 72 percent when they learned more about the facility.
The statewide survey also shows Texans overwhelmingly support the notion that the citizens of Andrews should be allowed to pursue the disposal of low-level radioactive waste in their county.
From our poll results the conclusion is clear: the people of Texas strongly support the WCS facility" said pollster Mike Baselice president and CEO of Baselice & Associates Inc. In addition the poll reveals that across the state Texans support the ability of Andrews to determine its own economic future."
Baselice & Associates conducted the Texas Voter Survey and polled 801 registered voters across the state by telephone from April 19 through April 22 2010.
Key findings of the survey include:
• Eighty-nine percent of Texans agree the citizens of Andrews should be allowed to determine whether a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility operates in their community.
• Sixty-one percent favor the permanent disposal of low-level radioactive waste in Waste Control Specialists remote facility in Andrews County. That support increased to 72 percent when voters learned more about the type of waste the facility and the state oversight involved.
Its crucial to highlight the polls findings about local decision-making" said Lloyd Eisenrich president of the Andrews Industrial Foundation. The survey demonstrates Texas voters strongly believe local citizens are best qualified to decide which economic development opportunities they pursue."
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Eisenrich said the AIF planned to share the polls findings with the Texas Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission which is scheduled to meet soon in Andrews County.
There have been a lot of conflicting assertions about what Texans think about our facility in Andrews and the disposal of low-level radioactive waste" Eisenrich said. Thats why we retained the preeminent pollster in Texas to do a legitimate scientific survey on this issue.
The results are clear: Texans understand the need for a Texas solution for low-level radioactive waste disposal and they support what we are doing in Andrews" he said.
When initially asked 62 percent of survey participants supported the idea of storing and processing low-level radioactive waste in Andrews County. Support for the facility increased when poll participants learned more about the facility. After voters heard more about the issue 72 percent of those surveyed said they favor the disposal of low-level radioactive waste in Andrews County.
Furthermore 73 percent of west Texas voters support its disposal.
Even more striking is the fact overall support increased as survey participants learned more about the facility and the low-level waste storage taking place there" Baselice said.
The residents of Andrews County recruited WCS to their community to build and operate a storage facility. Long in support of the WCS facility local residents view the disposal of low-level waste as an economic boom for the county and a way to provide a national solution to an important environmental problemthe safe permanent disposal of stranded low-level waste.
Voters understand and support the need for a single isolated location to handle the disposal of low-level radioactive waste" Baselice said. Once educated about the needs addressed through the generation of low-level radioactive waste support for its disposal increases significantly."
The Andrews Industrial Foundation sponsored this statewide poll of Texas voters. Baselice & Associates is a national research organization that provides public opinion research for decision-making in politics and public and corporate affairs.
