# Where environmental support meets knowledge gaps

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/politics/where-environmental-support-meets-knowledge-gaps/
Published: 2026-05-05

> Featured topic in Politics.

Roughly 63% said the EPA should do more, and 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.

## Overview: Environmental action

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.

## 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.

## 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.

## 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.

## Supporting evidence

### 63% said the EPA should do more.

Question: Should the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) do more?

Note: Anchors the topic in support for greater EPA action.

Topline:

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

### 49% said politicians should lead on reducing carbon emissions.

Question: 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?

Note: Adds whether politicians should lead on carbon-emissions reduction.

Topline:

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

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

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

Note: Adds water-policy importance.

Topline:

- Extremely important: 47.5%
- Somewhat important: 25.5%
- Equally important to all other issues: 21.7%
- Somewhat not important: 3.1%
- Not important at all: 2.1%

## 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

- [Should the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) do more?](https://verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co#q19-should-environmental-protection-agency-do-more): verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co: Anchors the topic in support for greater EPA action.
- [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?](https://verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co#q11-politicians-should-take-the-lead-in-reducing-us-carbon-emissions): verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co: Adds whether politicians should lead on carbon-emissions reduction.
- [In comparison to other issues, how important should issues of water be to the federal government?](https://verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co#q17-importance-of-issues-of-water-to-the-federal-government): verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co: Adds water-policy importance.
- [How knowledgeable would you describe yourself of water scarcity challenges in the Colorado River?](https://verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co#q18-familiarity-with-water-scarcity-challenges-in-the-colorado-river): verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co: Adds self-reported knowledge about water scarcity.

## 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%.

Canonical question URL: [https://verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co#q19-should-environmental-protection-agency-do-more](https://verasight-mpsa-2023.tiiny.co#q19-should-environmental-protection-agency-do-more)