Fewer Americans see US energy situation as ‘very serious’

Americans’ concern about the U.S. energy situation has fallen in the last year, according to a new poll. 

A Gallup poll, released Monday, found the share of Americans who describe the energy situation as “very serious” has dropped 10 points since last year, down to 34 percent. 

The number who had described the situation as very serious had jumped sharply to 44 percent in 2022 as gas prices hit record highs amid high inflation and Russia’s war on Ukraine. 

The most recent polls finds 51 percent of Americans see the energy situation as “fairly serious,” while 14 percent say it’s “not at all serious.” The Gallup report suggests the decline in concern is due to lower gas prices this year than last year.

Among the parties, Republicans saw the biggest drop in the share considering the energy situation “very serious,” down 15 points since last year to 49 percent this year. The share of Democrats who think it’s very serious fell 9 points to 21 percent this year. Among independents, the number who found it very serious fell 4 points to 34 percent. 

Almost all age brackets saw the same 7-point decline among those who think the situation is very serious, with the age 18-29 group reporting the least concern at 19 percent. The share of 30-49 year-olds saying the energy situation was very serious fell 17 points to 30 percent. 

Conducted March 1-23, the Gallup poll surveyed 1,009 U.S. adults and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.