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Resources Radio

Local Attitudes Toward Energy Projects, with Holly Caggiano and Sara Constantino

Sep 30, 2024
Holly Caggiano, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, and Sara Constantino, an assistant professor at Stanford University, dive into local perspectives on energy projects in Pennsylvania. They explore how proximity to homes and job creation influence public support, revealing a strong preference for solar over nuclear energy. The conversation highlights the critical role of local elected officials in representing community interests and discusses how childhood experiences shape their careers in environmental economics.
34:17

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Local residents prefer renewable energy projects that are situated farther away from their homes, with significant opposition to projects within two miles due to perceived negative impacts.
  • Community benefits, especially job creation and ownership structure, play a critical role in shaping public support and satisfaction for various energy projects, highlighting misalignment with local elected officials' perceptions of constituents' preferences.

Deep dives

Impact of Project Proximity

The distance of energy projects from residential areas plays a significant role in determining public support, with individuals showing a marked preference for projects located further away. Specifically, residents expressed a strong dislike for projects within two miles of their homes, correlating this proximity with a seven percentage point decrease in support when compared to projects sited fifty miles away. Although a slight trend indicated no substantial difference in support between projects at five, ten, and fifty miles, the opposition to projects that are too close remains significant. This suggests that while visual impacts are a concern, actual support may be more influenced by the perceived economic benefits and ownership structure of these projects.

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