NEW YORK -- In a year of intense media scrutiny on hydraulic fracturing, the manner in which most oil and natural gas companies access natural gas, two-thirds of Americans (66%) say they believe the benefits of natural gas outweigh the risks while 17% say the risks outweigh the benefits.

The results come from a Harris Poll of 2,056 adults surveyed online between Feb. 6 and 13, 2012, by Harris Interactive.

Natural gas has maintained a relatively low price, compared with other fuels with similar uses such as oil and gasoline. Additionally, it is considered a relatively clean source of energy. For Americans, these factors seem to outweigh the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing, the extraction method most associated with gas, according to the Harris Poll.

There are significant generational differences, however. Echo Boomers, ages 18-35, are less likely to believe the benefits outweigh the risks than Matures, those 67 and older. People living in the East are less likely than those in the West to agree that the benefits outweigh the risks (60% vs. 71%).

There is also a political difference when it comes to feelings on natural gas. Three out of four Republicans (74%) think the benefits of natural gas outweigh the risks compared to just over three in five Democrats (62%) and more than two-thirds of Independents (69%), who think the benefits outweigh the risks. Looking at the reverse, the partisan differences are significant, with larger portions of Democrats (21%) and Independents (19%) thinking that the risks outweigh the benefits than Republicans (10%).

Not Much Shift On Views About Coal

In 2009, roughly two in five Americans (42%) said the risks of using coal outweighed the benefits while 36% said the benefits outweighed the risks. In 2011, the view did not change all that much as 38% said benefits outweighed risks, but 43% thought the risks outweighed the benefits. This year, the number of people who say the benefits outweigh the risks continues to inch upward as 42% say that while 40% currently say the risks outweigh the benefits.

There are some clear regional and generational differences for coal. Almost half of those in the Midwest (49%) and South (48%) say the benefits outweigh the risks compared with 35% of those in the East and 33% of those in the West. There is also a clear age divide as Baby Boomers (ages 48-66) and Matures are more likely to say benefits of coal outweigh the risks than both Echo Boomers and Gen Xers (ages 36-47); more than half of Matures (54%) and 47% of Baby Boomers say the benefits of coal outweigh the risks compared to 39% of Gen Xers and 33% of Echo Boomers.

In Conclusion

At the end of the day, what matters most to Americans is how much they are paying to heat their homes and fuel their lifestyles. This may explain why natural gas has maintained a positive position relative to its risks, said Sarah Simmons, Senior Research Executive and Industry Thought Leader for the Harris Poll. Natural gas is inexpensive, clean and accessible. Americans' view of coal suffers, especially when we look at generational breaks due to environmental factors.

An additional breakdown of statistics can be found on the Harris Interactive website.