Harris’s Anti-Fracking History Haunts Her in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania stands as a battleground state, both politically and energetically. It is known for its rich and lucrative shale play, the Marcellus Shale, making it the nation’s second-largest natural gas producer. The topic of fracking, although a local issue, has played a crucial part in national debates over the years, and amidst all this stands Kamala Harris, carrying an anti-fracking past that continues to echo in the state. Fracking, short for hydraulic fracturing, is a method of extracting natural gas from the earth’s crust by injecting water, sand, and chemicals into rock at high pressure. The procedure, while providing a significant source of income and employment for regions such as Pennsylvania, is often criticized for its detrimental environmental effects, including contamination of ground water, releases of methane and its role in inducing earthquakes. It’s here that the Biden-Harris campaign has struggled to redefine their stance. In the early stages of her candidacy for Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris was forthright in expressing her thoughts against hydraulic fracking. During a town hall in September 2019, she declared her support for a nationwide ban on fracking on both public and private lands. This was in line with her history as California’s attorney general, where she had been known to take strong stances on environmental issues. However, political dynamics often bring about unanticipated shifts, and cultural, environmental, and fiscal views often need to be resided to accomplish a broader aim. Presidential candidate Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris faced such a situation on their campaign trail in Pennsylvania. While Biden asserted in his campaign that he wouldn’t ban fracking outright but would restrict new fracking leases on federal land, striking an intricate balance between conservation and economic concern, Harris seems to have pivoted entirely from her previously held stance. This came in sharp focus when Harris visited Pennsylvania for the first time as the vice-presidential candidate. During her trip, she asserted, “The Biden-Harris Administration will not ban fracking. That is a fact. That is a fact. Despite such assertions, Harris’ anti-fracking past hasn’t escaped the notice of the Keystone state’s industry and the concerned citizens. Her earlier stance made her an easy target for the Trump-Pence campaign in the state. The Republican campaign persistently targeted her anti-fracking past, painting her as a threat to the state’s economy. Similarly, several industry voices conveyed concerns about a potential Biden-Harris administration as it could hobble Pennsylvania’s economic lif