Most tell API they favor domestic energy

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Most Americans asked told pollsters representing an energy trade group that domestic oil and gas production would help the U.S. economy, the API said.

Jack Gerard, president and chief executive officer at the American Petroleum Institute, said "common sense" says domestic energy production is good for the economy.

"Voters know developing more of America's homegrown energy makes sense for our economy and our energy security," he said. "Our economy will demand large amounts of oil and natural gas for at least several more decades even as the role of alternative energy increases."

Polling company Harris Interactive conducted a telephone survey for the API examining public sentiment regarding domestic oil and natural gas development. The vast majority of the 1,005 registered voters asked said they believed U.S. oil and natural gas would help everything from the employment outlook to national energy security.

API said that 70 percent of the registered voters taking part in the survey told Harris the White House was "intentionally" blocking domestic oil and gas production.

Supporters of the trade group blamed the White House for not selling enough leases to explore for oil and natural gas on U.S. land.

Harris conducted the survey in December for API. The survey results had a sampling error of 3.0 percentage points.