A recent poll from the Ohio River Valley Institute and Upswing Research & Strategy shows a majority of likely voters want additional regulation of hydraulic fracturing natural gas operations.

At the same time, the number of people who want to ban the process altogether has decreased from previous polls on the topic.

What does that mean?

Far from wanting fracking banned, state residents seem to be taking a pragmatic, middle-of-the-road approach to the natural gas drilling method – do it to keep energy prices low, but make sure it is being done safely.

Requiring fracking companies to disclose all chemicals used in the process garnered 94% support; requiring “safer transportation of fracking waste” got 93%; setting up more air monitors near wells had 92% support; and expanding setback distances from schools and hospitals had 90%. Classifying fracking fluids as hazardous earned 80% support, while reducing restrictions on fracking companies got 50% support — but 58% were opposed to banning fracking altogether. Other polls have found a narrow plurality support fracking — but support has grown, up almost 10 percentage points since 2012.

Ironically, the closer Pennsylvanians lived to the fracking industry, the more they supported it. In “Outer Pittsburgh,” fracking had 69% support (compared to 50% support in Allegheny County). Only 31% of Philadelphia County respondents supported fracking, and 43% in the Lehigh Valley.

Those numbers aren’t bad considering the source. The Ohio Valley River Institute is a left-of-center advocacy group that has argued against coal and fracking in the past while supporting wind and solar development. One would have expected less support for fracking compared to previous polls, not more support.

Given the poll’s source, it’s pretty clear that most commonwealth residents aren’t buying either the hysteria or hype over fracking. They see that natural gas production is one way to keep energy prices low in Pennsylvania and they realize natural gas use is better for the environment than burning coal. They also know that it’s good to pay attention to fracking and monitor what’s going into and coming out of the ground.

That sounds like a pretty clear message to policy makers. Produce natural gas, but do it safely.