Pew Research Center
January 30, 2018
Regardless of partisan affiliation, younger people are more opposed to offshore drilling than are older people. About six-in-ten (58%) of those ages 18 to 49 oppose allowing more drilling off the nation’s coasts – 16 percentage points more than those 50 or older (42%).
Overall, Americans who live close to a coastline are less supportive of expanding offshore drilling than those who live farther from a coast. Only about a third (34%) of those who live within 25 miles of a coastline favor allowing more offshore oil and gas drilling, while 56% are opposed. Opinion is more divided among those who live more inland: Among Americans who live 300 or more miles from a coast, 46% favor expanded drilling, while 50% oppose it.