Public confidence in the state of the American environment has fallen to its lowest point in more than two decades, according to a new national survey. The Gallup organization's annual environment poll, conducted in early March, found that just 35% of U.S. adults rate the overall quality of the nation's environment as "excellent" or "good." This marks an 8-point drop from last year and sets a new record low since Gallup began tracking this metric in 2001.
The survey, released just ahead of Earth Day observations, shows a significant deterioration in public sentiment. Forty-three percent of respondents described environmental conditions as "fair," while 22% rated them as "poor." The previous low point of 39% positive ratings was recorded in both 2009 and 2022.
Majority Demands More Government Action
The poll reveals substantial public dissatisfaction with federal environmental policy. Sixty-one percent of Americans believe the government is doing "too little" to protect the environment, a figure that represents the second-highest level of concern on record, trailing only the 68% recorded in 1992. This marks a notable increase from the 57% who held this view last year. Meanwhile, 27% believe the government is doing "too much," and just 7% say it is doing "about the right amount."
The findings arrive amid a series of recent policy shifts. Over the past 15 months, the administration has pursued an energy agenda emphasizing fossil fuel development, including easing regulations on coal plants, proposing expanded offshore oil and gas drilling, and promoting exports of domestically produced natural gas. In a significant regulatory reversal, the Environmental Protection Agency in February repealed its 2009 "endangerment finding," a determination that had authorized the agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from new vehicles on grounds that they threaten public health.
Deep Partisan Chasm on Environment vs. Economy
The survey underscores a profound political polarization on environmental issues. More than 90% of Democrats say the government is doing too little to protect the environment, compared to 67% of independents and just 23% of Republicans.
The divide extends to core priorities. Nearly 80% of Democrats believe environmental protection should take precedence over economic growth, even if growth slows somewhat. That view is shared by 61% of independents but only 31% of Republicans. Conversely, 62% of Republicans maintain that economic growth should be prioritized, even at some cost to the environment. This partisan split suggests environmental policy will remain a contentious legislative battleground.
Top Environmental Concerns: Water and Technology
When asked about specific issues, Americans express greatest concern over threats to water resources. More than half of respondents say they worry a "great deal" about pollution of drinking water and maintaining the nation's supply of fresh water for household needs. Half are similarly concerned about pollution of rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.
The poll also captures emerging anxieties about technology's environmental footprint. Forty-six percent of Americans report being concerned a great deal about the environmental impact of energy-intensive AI data centers, highlighting how new technological infrastructure is entering the public's environmental calculus.
The Gallup survey was conducted via telephone interviews with 1,000 adults across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., from March 2-18. It has a margin of error of ±4 percentage points. The stark results indicate that environmental quality is becoming an increasingly potent public concern, potentially shaping voter attitudes alongside other issues where public opinion shows sustained skepticism of federal performance. How this sentiment translates into political pressure may influence not only environmental regulation but also broader debates over government authority and priorities in the coming election cycle.
