Harris Does U-Turn on Fracking ahead of November Election

Kamala Harris said she would not ban fracking if she becomes the next U.S. president, reversing an earlier stance she had made while campaigning as Joe Biden’s vice president.

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

“We have set goals for the United States of America and by extension, the globe, around when we should meet certain standards for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as an example. That value has not changed,” the Democratic presidential nominee also said, adding “What I have seen is that we can grow and we can increase a thriving clean energy economy without banning fracking.”

Harris’ statements are a stark departure from those made in 2019 on the campaign trail. CNN quoted her as saying in September 2019 during a climate change event “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 led many to expect a hard line against the oil and gas industry from a potential future Democratic administration.

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

The change in Harris’s stance on fracking has visible roots. In order to win the election, she would need to secure votes from swing states such as Pennsylvania, which is heavily dependent on its energy industry. Declaring an intention to ban fracking would alienate such crucial states and lose her the election.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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