Survey of Social Values Related to Offshore Wind Energy

O MB CONTROL NO. 0648-XXXX

Expiration Date:

Offshore Wind Energy and the Carolina Coast: What Do They Mean to You?

We are conducting this survey of residents in eight counties within North Carolina and South Carolina to understand:

• the importance of the Carolina coast to you,

• your level of support for offshore wind energy development, and

• your expectations about how offshore wind energy development would influence the region.

Your participation in this survey is voluntary but extremely important. Your answers will never be attributed to you as an individual. They will be protected. It will take about 20 minutes to take the survey. We appreciate your time.

Importance of the Carolina Coast

The following questions will help us to understand how you feel about the Carolina coast. For purposes of this survey, “Carolina coast” means any land within one mile of the coastline and water extending X miles from shore, in either North Carolina or South Carolina. The enclosed map shows you the boundary of the Carolina coast.

1. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

	Strongly Disagree	Somewhat Disagree	Neutral	Somewhat Agree	Strongly Agree
I feel a strong sense of community on the Carolina coast.
I think the economy is strong on the Carolina coast.
I feel connected to the other people who live on the Carolina coast.
The Carolina coast is a good place for the kind of work I do.
I think the natural parts of the Carolina coast are beautiful.
The Carolina coast says a lot about who I am.
The Carolina coast is the best place for what I like to do.
I like the Carolina coast’s mix of plants, animals, and landscapes.

2. Could you tell us how important you think the Carolina coast is for_____?

	Not Important	Somewhat Important	Important	Very Important	Extremely Important	Don’t Know
Providing fish and shellfish for commercial harvest
Providing recreational activities
Enabling marine shipping, transportation and commerce
Production of oil and gas
Production of renewable energy
Protection of a variety of marine and coastal fish and wildlife
Protection of submerged maritime heritage sites, such as shipwrecks
Other, please specify: ______________________

3. For ONLY the recreational activities that you ENGAGE IN along the Carolina coast, please indicate how important each is to you.

	Not Important	Somewhat Important	Important	Very Important	Extremely Important	Don’t Engage
Beach going
Nature or scenic photography
Birdwatching
Whale watching or viewing of other marine mammals
Fishing
Hunting
Swimming, wading or soaking in the ocean
Hiking, walking, jogging, or running
Boating or sailing
Kayaking or canoeing
Snorkeling or SCUBA diving
Other, please specify ______________

4. Please draw an arrow connecting each happy face to one favorite place in the area shown on this map. After drawing each arrow, please circle all of the reasons why you value that place, using the list shown in each square. Definitions for the values are provided below.

Definitions for values:

Aesthetic: I value this area because I enjoy the beauty, sights, sounds, and smells found here.

Economic: I value this area because it provides fisheries, minerals, and/or tourism opportunities such as outfitting and guiding.

Historic: I value this area because of the historic significance to our culture and communities.

Recreation: I value this area because it provides a place for my favorite outdoor recreation activities.

Relaxation: I value this area because it makes me feel better, physically and/or mentally; it is calming.

Naturalness: I value this area because it is undeveloped with minimal human impact and it provides a variety of fish, wildlife, plant life, etc.

5. Please answer each of these questions in terms of THE WAY YOU GENERALLY FEEL. There are no right or wrong answers simply select a response for each statement that represents what you generally feel as honestly and candidly as you can.

	Strongly Disagree	Somewhat Disagree	Neutral	Somewhat Agree	Strongly Agree
I often feel a sense of oneness with the natural world around me.
I think of the natural world as a community to which I belong.
I recognize and appreciate the intelligence of other living organisms.
I often feel disconnected from nature.
When I think of my life, I imagine myself to be part of a larger cyclical process of living.
I often feel a kinship with animals and plants.
I feel as though I belong to the Earth as equally as it belongs to me.
I have a deep understanding of how my actions affect the natural world.
I often feel part of the web of life.
I feel that all inhabitants of Earth, human, and nonhuman, share a common ‘life force.’
Like a tree can be part of a forest, I feel embedded within the broader natural world.
When I think of my place on Earth, I consider myself to be a top member of a hierarchy that exists in nature.
I often feel like I am only a small part of the natural world around me, and that I am no more important than the grass on the ground or the birds in the trees.
My personal welfare is independent of the welfare of the natural world.

Support for Different Energy Production Options

The following questions will help us to understand your level of support for the development of offshore wind, both generally and in your region. Efforts are underway to pursue potential development of offshore wind energy production on the outer continental shelf of North Carolina and South Carolina. To date, three wind energy areas have been identified on the outer continental shelf of North Carolina. Officials are also considering potential areas along the outer continental shelf of South Carolina. The map included shows areas of consideration in both states.

6. By selecting “Yes” or “No” below for each item, please indicate whether you have EVER done any of the following activities to express your SUPPORT FOR OR OPPOSITION TO:

1. an issue in YOUR city, county, or state.

2. an environmental issue in YOUR city, county, or state.

3. the potential for offshore wind energy development in YOUR city, county or state.

	a. Any issue	b. An environmental issue	c. The potential for offshore wind energy development
Signed a petition	Yes No	Yes No	Yes No
Written, emailed or called a public official	Yes No	Yes No	Yes No
Written a letter to the editor	Yes No	Yes No	Yes No
Submitted written comments during a public comment period	Yes No	Yes No	Yes No
Joined a citizen-based advocacy group because of their position	Yes No	Yes No	Yes No
Attended public meetings sponsored by a government agency	Yes No	Yes No	Yes No
Attended public meetings, gatherings or demonstrations sponsored by an advocacy group	Yes No	Yes No	Yes No
Contributed money to an organization or campaign	Yes No	Yes No	Yes No
Displayed a bumper sticker or button/pin related to your position	Yes No	Yes No	Yes No
Other, please specify: ___________________	Yes No	Yes No	Yes No

6. In the NEXT 12 MONTHS, do you PLAN to do any of the activities listed above in Question 6 in response to the potential for OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY development IN YOUR CITY, COUNTY OR STATE?

• Yes

• No

6. Please rate your level of opposition or support to the following:

	Strongly Oppose	Somewhat Oppose	Neutral	Somewhat Support	Strongly Support
Development of offshore wind farms in the United States
Development of offshore wind farms in South Carolina
Development of offshore wind farms in North Carolina
Development of offshore wind farms near Wilmington, North Carolina

6. Please rate your level of opposition or support to the following:

	Strongly Oppose	Somewhat Oppose	Neutral	Somewhat Support	Strongly Support
Development of offshore oil or natural gas wells in the United States
Development of offshore oil or natural gas wells in North Carolina
Development of offshore oil or natural gas wells in South Carolina

6. Would your level of support for the development of offshore windfarms IN YOUR STATE increase, decrease or remain the same if you knew that the energy produced by the turbines would be used exclusively by residents:

	Decrease Substantially	Decrease Somewhat	Remain the Same	Increase Somewhat	Increase Substantially
Inside your state
Outside of your state

6. How adequate do you feel the opportunities have been for members of public to participate in meetings or other parts of the planning process for potential offshore wind development IN YOUR STATE?

• Members of the public have had no opportunities to participate

• Members of the public have had some opportunities to participate, but too few

• Members of the public have had adequate opportunities to participate

• Members of the public have had more than adequate opportunity to participate

• No opinion

Perceived Impacts of Offshore Wind Development

The following questions will help us to understand your expectations about how offshore wind energy development would influence the region.

6. Please indicate the TYPE OF IMPACT you think development of offshore wind along the Carolina coast would have on each of the following items.

	Negative Impact	No Impact	Positive Impact	Unsure
Tax revenues
Job opportunities
Affordability of electricity
Image of your community
Tourism
Shipwrecks and other submerged maritime heritage sites
Local property values
View of ocean from the shore during the day
View of ocean from the shore at night
Commercial fishing industry
Yachting and recreational boating
Recreational fishing
Habitat for birds
Habitat for fish
Habitat for marine mammals and sea turtles

6. For the same items listed above, now please tell us HOW IMPORTANT each item is to you in terms of your quality of life on the Carolina coast.

	Not Important	Somewhat Important	Important	Very Important	Extremely Important	Don’t Know
Tax revenues
Job opportunities
Affordability of electricity
Image of your community
Tourism
Shipwrecks and other submerged maritime heritage sites
Local property values
View of ocean from the shore during the day
View of ocean from the shore at night
Commercial fishing industry
Yachting and recreational boating
Recreational fishing
Habitat for birds
Habitat for fish
Habitat for marine mammals and sea turtles

Background

To enable us to compare the responses of people with similar or different characteristics, in this final section we ask a few questions about you and your household. As with all answers, this information will be used on for grouped analysis involving responses from all survey participants – your responses will remain completely confidential.

6. What is your sex?

• Male

• Female

6. In what year were you born?

6. Which best describes your marital status?

• Married

• Widowed

• Divorced

• Separated

• Never married

• Other (specify) ____________________

6. Which best describes your ethnicity?

• Hispanic or Latino

• Not Hispanic or Latino

6. Which best describes your race (select one or more)?

• American Indian or Alaska Native

• Asian

• Black or African American

• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

• White

6. What is the highest degree or level school you have completed?

• No schooling completed

• Some high school (no diploma)

• High school diploma or GED

• Some college (no degree)

• Associate’s degree

• Bachelor’s degree

• Master’s degree

• Professional degree (e.g., MD, DVM, JD)

• Doctoral degree (e.g., PhD, EdD)

6. What is your ZIP code of residence?

21. What is your county of residence?

• Bladen, NC

• Brunswick, NC

• Columbus, NC

• New Hanover, NC

• Pender, NC

• Dillon, SC

• Horry, SC

• Marion, SC

• Other (please specify) ________________________

21. Would you describe yourself as a permanent, temporary or seasonal resident of this county?

• Permanent (i.e., you reside in the county full time, permanently)

• Temporary (i.e., you reside in the county full time, but for a limited period only)

• Seasonal (i.e., you reside in the county for one to four months annually or periodically, such as for vacation or holiday)

21. How long have you resided in this county as a permanent, temporary or seasonal resident?

• Less than 1 year

• 1 to 2 years

• 3 to 5 years

• 6 to 10 years

• 11 to 20 years

• More than 20 years

21. Which best describes the ownership status of your residence in this county?

• Owned or being bought by you or someone in your household

• Rented or leased for cash rent

• Occupied without payment of cash rent

21. How many people currently live in your household, including yourself?

26. How many people under the age of 18 currently live in your household?

27. What was the total income of your household during 2015 before taxes and other deductions?

• Less than $25,000

• $25,000 to $34,999

• $35,000 to $49,999

• $50,000 to $74,999

• $75,000 to $99,999

• $100,000 to $149,999

• $150,000 or more

26. Which best describes your current employment status?

• Unemployed

• Employed full-time

• Employed part-time

• Self-employed

• Retired

• Student

• Homemaker

• None of the above

The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 minutes including the time for reviewing instructions, searching for existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other suggestions for reducing this burden to: Dr. Theresa L. Goedeke, NOAA National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Access to raw data collected during the data collection process will be restricted to project managers. In final datasets and products that are released, data provided by individual respondents will be aggregated and not linked to personally identifiable information. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subjected to a penalty for failure to comply, with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.

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