Offshore Wind

This Oct. 30, 2002 file photo shows a speed boat passing by offshore windmills in the North Sea offshore from near Esbjerg, Denmark. On Wednesday Feb. 5, 2014, Oregon's Governor, John Kitzhaber and other officials announced plans to develop a similar farm, as the West Coast's first offshore wind energy farm.

( (AP Photo/Heribert Proepper, file))

TRENTON -- A new Fairleigh Dickinson University poll says that the state government is not matching the public's desire to move forward with clean energy initiatives.

The poll -- released at a news conference Monday at the State House in Trenton -- shows 87 percent of residents believe investing in clean energy is "very" or "somewhat" important to the overall health of New Jersey.

Support was found across the political spectrum with 96 percent of Democrats, 83 percent of Republicans, and 82 percent of independents voicing their opinion in favor of clean energy.

"There's a real disconnect between what voters want -- where they want the state to go on energy -- and the path that we're currently on," Tom Gilbert, Campaign Director for ReThink Energy New Jersey, said at the announcement. "We need our leaders at all levels to move forward on clean renewable energy."

"We are hopeful that a new administration will make this a priority without question," Gilbert said referring to next year's gubernatorial election.

"There's a clear reason why the governor is unpopular," Doug O'Malley, Director of Environment New Jersey, said. "He's just plain out of step with New Jerseyans."

"Perhaps the best example is the Governor's bill on offshore wind," O'Malley said referring to the Christie administration's penchant for denying the Atlantic City's energy initiative. He pointed to Christie's withdrawal from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative as another policy gaff.

"Because of his presidential ambition... the governor was eyeing Republican billions at the expense of bipartisan support," he said.

Gilbert also expressed some trepidation at the election of businessman Donald Trump to the nation's highest office when asked about the future of clean energy.

"It's a time of great uncertainty right now," he said. "The one lesson we know for sure is that leadership on clean energy is going to have to come from the states."

The president elect stated during his campaign that he would withdraw the U.S from the Paris climate agreement and disband the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), potentially pushing the federal government further out of line with state residents' views on the need for clean energy.

Last week, President-elect Trump tapped long-time climate change skeptic, Myron Ebell, to lead transition at the EPA.

Greg Wright may be reached at gwright@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregTheWright. Find NJ.com on Facebook.