New Poll Shows Vast Majority of Louisiana Voters Concerned About Coastal Land Loss, Climate Change

(NEW ORLEANS – Aug. 14, 2019) Louisiana’s fall elections will be particularly crucial for the future leadership of the state, deciding numerous seats in the Legislature, the governorship, as well as other statewide and parish offices. Ahead of these elections, a poll was released today showing that Louisiana voters are deeply concerned about the state’s coastal land loss crisis and support coastal restoration efforts to address it. The poll, conducted by BDPC, LLC + Pinsonat, shows that 98 percent of voters say officials should work to maintain as much of Louisiana’s coast as possible, even if it’s not possible to restore the original footprint; and 97 percent want their elected officials to prioritize tackling coastal land loss when in office.

Voters are largely in agreement about how the state tackles its land loss crisis with 92 percent supporting an approach that balances restoration of coastal wetlands with protection efforts, such as levees. On restoration specifically, 82 percent of respondents support sediment diversions, large-scale coastal restoration projects that would deliver sediment from the Mississippi River to build and sustain wetlands over time. Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority is advancing the Mid-Barataria and Mid-Breton Sediment Diversions, projects that will build and maintain tens of thousands of acres of land and habitat on either side of the river in Plaquemines Parish.

Since the 1930s, Louisiana has lost nearly 2,000 square miles of its coastal land and, without the implementation of projects from the state’s Coastal Master Plan, could lose an additional 4,000 square miles in the next 50 years. Most respondents indicated that protection from storm surge was the most important reason to restore Louisiana’s coast, and 97 percent of those surveyed said they want their elected officials to make decisions on coastal issues based on the best available science.  

“As our coast disappears and the State of Louisiana fully commits to confronting this crisis, voters are in widespread agreement that addressing coastal land loss must be a top priority for anyone who seeks elected office in this state,” said Steve Cochran, Campaign Director for Restore the Mississippi River Delta.

On how to pay for coastal restoration projects, respondents were nearly unanimous with 97 percent saying elected officials must protect existing funds dedicated to coastal restoration and protection in Louisiana, and 96 percent wanting their elected officials to identify new sources of funding for coastal restoration. Also of note, 63 percent of respondents indicated they would support paying a state tax if they knew funds from that tax would go directly to coastal restoration and protection across Louisiana.    

The poll also found that a vast majority of voters (71 percent) believe in climate change with half of respondents indicating that climate change is affecting them today and 72 percent saying it will impact future generations. On Louisiana’s land loss crisis, 57 percent of respondents across the state believe land loss will have a direct impact on them this year with that number jumping to 77 percent in the next 10 years.  

“In a state that has had emergency flood disasters declared in every parish at least twice over the last 20 years, it is no surprise that Louisianians see and are concerned about the impacts from a changing climate and a disappearing coast,” said Cochran. “The stakes could not be higher as decisions made in the coming years will not only determine what kind of Louisiana we leave our children and grandchildren but where that future will be.”  

The poll was conducted by BDPC, LLC + Pinsonat for Environmental Defense Fund on behalf of Restore the Mississippi River Delta to determine the familiarity, interest and support for major coastal issues facing Louisiana. According to Bernie Pinsonat, political consultant at BDPC LLC + Pinsonat, “These numbers are unlike any I have ever seen in Louisiana. Coastal land loss is the most important issue on the minds of Louisiana voters. The issue has significant, bipartisan support from all corners of the state. These results are a clear signal that voters want their elected officials, from the Governor to their legislators to parish presidents, to tackle this crisis head on.”

Interviews for this poll were completed by trained live operators over the phone with 1,006 likely Louisiana voters from July 23 through July 29, 2019. Results were analyzed to ensure consistency in responses. The overall sample error for the statewide statistics is not greater than plus or minus 3.0 percentage points at the 95 percent level of confidence.