Harris shifts fracking stance amid White House bid: ‘My values have not changed’

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris recently clarified her position on fracking. Her position shifted since the onset of her last White House bid.

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

This stance marks a notable shift from her earlier position on the issue.

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“There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking,” Harris said in 2019.

Harris’ previous support for a ban aligned with her co-sponsorship of the 2019 Green New Deal. The policy framework included significant emissions cuts in the energy sector. The bill mandated the cuts to be implemented so quickly that they would have likely necessitated a ban on fracking.

Fracking is a method used to extract oil and natural gas from deep rock formations. It also plays a critical role in the U.S. energy landscape. Currently, 90% of new onshore oil and gas developments and 60% of natural gas production relying on this technique.

However, it is also a significant contributor to environmental concerns. Fracking is responsible for about one-third of the country’s total methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas.

Despite her current position against an outright ban, Harris emphasized that her commitment to addressing climate change remains steadfast.

“Let’s be clear, my values have not changed,” Harris said. “I believe it is very important that we take seriously what we must do to guard against what is a clear crisis in terms of the climate.”

Harris argued that from her experience as vice president, it is possible to tackle climate issues “without banning fracking.”

The political reality of this situation also suggests that a ban on fracking remains unlikely, even if Harris wanted to pursue it. Such a move would require an act of Congress, a challenging prospect for such a massive national policy change to receive at this time.

Though Harris and President Joe Biden pursued a number of green policies while in office, their administration has overseen record levels of U.S. oil and gas production. Under their leadership, the U.S. became the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas and solidified its position as the global leader in oil production.