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Where environmental support meets knowledge gaps

Source reportMethodology

Overview

Adults supported more environmental action and treated water as important, but their self-reported knowledge of Colorado River water scarcity was much thinner.

Roughly 63% said the EPA should do more. About 73% said water should be at least somewhat important to the federal government, while 66% described themselves as not at all or only mildly knowledgeable about Colorado River water scarcity.

Topline

63% said the EPA should do more.

Should the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) do more?

  • Yes 63.4%
  • Don’t Know 25.0%
  • No 10.7%
  • Refuse to Answer 0.9%

2023 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.6%

MPSA 2023 Omnibus Survey #2023-032

View source data

Most adults said the EPA should do more

Roughly 63% of adults said the EPA should do more. About 25% said they did not know, while 11% said no.

The size of the "don't know" response matters for the page framing. The result shows majority support for more EPA action, but it also leaves a visible group that did not take a position.

Stacked breakdown

49% said politicians should lead on reducing carbon emissions.

Do you think that politicians should take the lead in drastically reducing US carbon emissions, or should wait until they have evidence that the public supports such action?

Take the lead
49.4%
Wait for public support
34.0%
Don’t know
16.6%

2023 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.6%

MPSA 2023 Omnibus Survey #2023-032

View source data

Carbon-emissions action drew more support than waiting

About 49% said politicians should take the lead in drastically reducing U.S. carbon emissions. Roughly 34% said politicians should wait until they have evidence that the public supports such action.

Another 17% said they did not know. The split is not a full consensus, but the lead-action response was still the largest position.

Crosstab view

73% rated water at least somewhat important, while 66% reported limited Colorado River knowledge.

In comparison to other issues, how important should issues of water be to the federal government?

In comparison to other issues, how important should issues of water be to the federal government?

Extremely important
47.5%
Somewhat important
25.5%
Equally important to all other issues
21.7%

How knowledgeable would you describe yourself of water scarcity challenges in the Colorado River?

Not at all knowledgeable
38.2%
Mildly knowledgeable
27.4%
Moderately knowledgeable
24.1%

2023 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.6%

MPSA 2023 Omnibus Survey #2023-032

View source data

Water looked important even where knowledge was limited

About 48% said water should be extremely important to the federal government, and another 26% said it should be somewhat important.

That priority did not come with broad self-reported familiarity. Roughly 38% said they were not at all knowledgeable about Colorado River water scarcity, and 27% said they were only mildly knowledgeable.

Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Population
United States adults who completed both waves of the survey
Field dates
2023-04-19 → 2023-04-27
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.6%
Module
MPSA 2023 Omnibus Survey #2023-032
Sponsor
Verasight
Weight variable
weight
Weighting targets
age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

Sources

[4]
  • 01
    Should the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) do more?Anchors the topic in support for greater EPA action.reports.verasight.io/reports/mpsa-2023-omnibus-survey-2023-032
  • 02
    Do you think that politicians should take the lead in drastically reducing US carbon emissions, or should wait until they have evidence that the public supports such action?Adds whether politicians should lead on carbon-emissions reduction.reports.verasight.io/reports/mpsa-2023-omnibus-survey-2023-032
  • 03
    In comparison to other issues, how important should issues of water be to the federal government?Adds water-policy importance.reports.verasight.io/reports/mpsa-2023-omnibus-survey-2023-032
  • 04
    How knowledgeable would you describe yourself of water scarcity challenges in the Colorado River?Adds self-reported knowledge about water scarcity.reports.verasight.io/reports/mpsa-2023-omnibus-survey-2023-032

Citation

MPSA 2023 Omnibus Survey #2023-032, fielded April 19-27, 2023, N=1,000 United States adults who completed both waves of the survey, +/- 3.6%.

https://reports.verasight.io/reports/mpsa-2023-omnibus-survey-2023-032#should-the-epa-environmental-protection-agency-do-more

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. Each wave's specific field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that wave's report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
Every wave is published as a standalone report at verasight.io/reports with full instrument and methodology.
Transparency
AAPOR transparency standards.

Wave-specific methodology, full weighting variable lists, and verbatim instrument text live in each report at verasight.io/reports.