National Press Release

Poll to Show If Voters 'Angry' About Gas Prices Now Strongly Favor Far-Reaching Energy and Climate Solutions, 'Energy Independence Day' by 2015

WASHINGTON, June 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- While Washington tinkers with the notion of expanded offshore drilling, a sizable number of Americans expects gasoline prices to hit $5 by Labor Day and favors bolder and more fundamental energy- and climate-related fixes, according to a new national opinion survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) for the nonprofit and nonpartisan Civil Society Institute (CSI) think tank and its Citizens Lead for Energy Action Now (CLEAN) project (www.cleanenergyaction.net). The major CSI/CLEAN survey will be released during a live, phone-based national news conference at 1:30 p.m. EDT on June 26, 2008.

In an earlier January 2008 ORC survey conducted for CSI/CLEAN, 71 percent of Americans correctly forecast that gasoline prices would hit $4 by this summer. The new CSI/CLEAN survey looks ahead to expectations about Labor Day 2008, gauges the level of anger among Americans about today's gasoline prices, and assesses how gas prices/energy policy will impact the thinking of voters this year. The survey also shows how many Americans favor the idea of a national goal of "Energy Independence Day" by 2015, taking more aggressive action to deal with energy and climate problems, and also making different personal choices, such as buying a hybrid or other fuel-efficient vehicle.

News event speakers will be:

    --  Civil Society Institute President and Founder Pam Solo; and

    --  Opinion Research Corporation Senior Researcher Graham Hueber.

TO PARTICIPATE: You can join this live, phone-based news conference (with full, two-way Q&A) at 1:30 p.m. EDT/10:30 a.m. PDT on June 19, 2008 by dialing 1 (800) 860-2442. Ask for the "high gas prices/energy policy survey" news event.

CAN'T PARTICIPATE?: A streaming audio recording of the news event will be available on the Web as of 7 p.m. EDT on June 26, 2008 at http://www.cleanenergyaction.net.

The nonprofit and nonpartisan Civil Society Institute (http://www.CivilSocietyInstitute.org) is a think tank that serves as a catalyst for change by creating problem-solving interactions among people, and between communities, government and business that can help to improve society. Since 2003, CSI has conducted more than 20 major surveys and reports since 2003 on energy and auto issues, including vehicle fuel-efficiency standards, consumer demand for hybrids/other highly-fuel efficient vehicles, global warming and renewable energy. The Civil Society Institute worked with grassroots organizations across the United States to help launch Citizens Lead for Energy Action Now (CLEAN) at http://www.cleanengeryaction.net. CSI also is the parent organization of 40MPG.org (http://www.40MPG.org) and the Hybrid Owners of America (http://www.HybridOwnersofAmerica.org).

SOURCE Civil Society Institute, Newton, Mass.