Public Opinion Surveys

The Nebraska Wind and Wildlife Project contributed to the Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey (NASIS) conducted the summer of 2012. The NASIS is an omnibus survey of quality of life in the state of Nebraska conducted by the Bureau of Sociological Research at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

In 2012, a random sample of 3,600 Nebraska addresses were selected to participate in NASIS. A total of 954 Nebraskans completed the mail survey and gave their opinions on a variety of topics and issues.

In 2013, 6,000 Nebraska addresses were sampled as part of the NASIS. A total of 1,064 Nebraska adults completed surveys.

Below are the questions asked about wind energy and wildlife. The results for 2012 are displayed in a detail (left) and a simplified version (right).

The purpose of the questions was to gather information about Nebraskan's views and opinions of wind energy development and wildlife.

 

Public Power District Reports & Factsheets:

2013

Responses of Nebraska Public Power District, Omaha Public Power District, and Lincoln Electric System Customers to the 2013 Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey Wind Energy and Wildlife Questions.

2012

Responses of Nebraska Public Power District, Omaha Public Power District, and Lincoln Electric System Customers to the 2012 Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey Wind Energy and Wildlife Questions.

 

 

2012

  • Do you support or oppose wind energy development in Nebraska?

  • NASIS results Support Wind Energy

     

     

  • How likely or unlikely are you to go fishing, hunting, hiking, bird watching, or engage in other recreational activities...

    • within 1 mile of a wind turbine? (Blue)
    • within sight of a wind turbine? (Red)

    ** Survey respondents are more likely to recreate within sight of a wind turbine than within one mile of a turbine . **

  • NASIS results recreation around turbines

     

     

  • Are you concerned or unconcerned that birds and bats are killed as a result of wind energy development?

  • NASIS results concerns

     

     

  • Do you agree or disagree that wind energy facility (i.e. wind farm) development and operation should have to take precautions to reduce impacts on wildlife?

  • NASIS results precautions

     

     

  • How likely or unlikely are you to support placement of wind turbines on the following?

  • NASIS results turbine placement

     

     

  • How likely or unlikely are you to pay $2 more a month on your electricity bill to support wind energy development? (Blue)
  • If wind energy development was planned in a manner that reduces impacts on wildlife resources, how likely or unlikely would you be to pay $2 more per month on your electricity bill to support wind energy development? (Red)
  • ** Survey respondents are more likely to pay $2 a month on their electricity bill to support wind energy developments that were planned in a manner that reduces impacts to wildlife resources (p = 0.011). **

    NASIS results willingness to pay

     

     

    2013

  • How much do you agree or disagree that current wind energy regulations in Nebraska adequately protect wildlife?

  • NASIS 2013 - Regulations Adequate

     

     

  • How much would you support or oppose regulations in Nebraska that require wind energy development and operation to minimize impacts to wildlife?

  • NASIS 2013 Support or Oppose Regulations

     

     

  • How much do you agree or disagree that developers should pay for impacts of wind energy developments to native Nebraska habitats?

  • NASIS 2013 Mitigation

     

     

  • How much do you support or oppose wind energy development in remote, un-fragmented landscapes in Nebraska?

  • NASIS 2013 Unfragmented Landscapes

     

     

  • How concerned are you that each of the following types of wildlife listed below can be negatively impacted or killed as a result of wind energy development and/or operation?

  • NASIS 2013 Concern for Species