Harris returns to Fracking ahead of November election

Kamala Harris has said she will not ban fracking if she becomes the next US president, reversing an earlier position she took on the campaign trail as Joe Biden’s running mate.

In an interview with CNN, Harris said, “As vice president, I did not ban fracking. As president, I will not ban fracking.”

“We’ve set targets for the United States, and by extension the globe, around when we should meet certain standards for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, for example. That value hasn’t changed,” the Democratic presidential candidate also said, adding, “What we’ve seen is that we can grow and grow a prosperous clean energy economy without banning fracking.”

Harris’ statements are a complete departure from those made in 2019 during the campaign. CNN quoted her as saying in September 2019 during an event on climate change “There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking and starting with what we can do on Day 1 around public lands,” which takes leading many to expect a hard line against the oil and gas industry from a potential future Democratic administration.

Even without the fracking ban, a Harris presidency would be bad news for the industry. Overviews of her career that have flooded the media recently note her lawsuits against oil companies, including Chevron, that she prosecuted for mishandling hazardous materials. The Plains All-American Pipeline also became a target of California’s attorney general in 2015 for an oil spill off the state’s coast. Interestingly, Harris’ claim that he also sued Exxon, which he did in the run-up to the 2020 election, appears to be inaccurate.

Harris’s shift in position on fracking has visible roots. To win the election, she would need to get votes from swing states like Pennsylvania, which is heavily dependent on its energy industry. Declaring an intention to ban fracking would alienate such crucial states and lose the election.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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