Exports of liquefied natural gas have exploded in recent years, and that’s largely due to the development of fracking technology. Fracking has lead to major economic gains in places like Pennsylvania and Ohio, which is probably why Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden insists he has no intention of stopping it.
“I am not banning fracking,” Biden told reporters at a campaign stop in Pittsburgh earlier this month. “Let me say that again. I am not banning fracking, no matter how many times Donald Trump lies about me.”
Still, he can’t really blame President Trump for the confusion, because there’s someone else who has also said that Joe Biden wants to outlaw fracking. His name?
Joe Biden.
During a March 15 debate with Sen. Bernie Sanders, Biden said that he does indeed want to ban fracking. However, he didn’t stop there.
“No more drilling on federal lands,” the former vice president declared. “No more drilling, including off-shore. No ability for the oil industry to drill, period.”
Biden isn’t the only one who has called for an energy crackdown; his running mate has as well. At a 2019 CNN town hall, Sen. Kamala Harris promised she would immediately ban fracking on public land and push to end the practice altogether.
“There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking,” she told an audience member, adding that she “has a history” of opposing the practice in California. Later, she pledged to stop off-shore oil drilling as well.
It’s not clear how these restrictions would help the planet; after all, natural gas is considered a cleaner source of energy than coal or petroleum products.
What’s more, Americans won’t stop needing oil; the only question is whether it will be produced under EPA supervision or imported from countries where environmental standards are far more loose. The fact that some of those countries are hostile powers isn’t encouraging either.
Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, President Trump oversaw the strongest economy in decades. A substantial portion of that success lay in energy production, something that he promises to promote by simplifying and streamlining regulations.
On the other hand, Joe Biden has conveniently forgotten his commitment to sabotage the energy industry. Perhaps that isn’t surprising: sometimes he forgets what state he’s in.
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