Keystone Today

Pennsylvanians are still concerned about a possible fracking ban under a Biden-Harris administration — and the Democrat candidates don’t seem terribly interested in providing a serious answer to a question that directly affects our livelihoods.

During his recent town hall event, Joe Biden stridently denied that he wants to ban fracking, scoffing at the very notion that anyone would think such a thing. 

“Well, first of all, I make it clear. I do not propose banning fracking,” he insisted. 

Just days earlier, Biden’s running mate made a similar remark about his environmental agenda during the vice presidential debate, preposterously claiming that “he has been very clear” that he would “not end fracking.”

No, as a matter of fact — neither Biden nor Harris have been remotely clear about their position on fracking. That’s why it’s still among the lingering questions that Pennsylvania voters have for the Democrat Party ticket. On the campaign trail, Biden and Harris seem intent on simultaneously pandering to both blue collar workers and radical environmentalists, with the result that their pronouncement sow confusion rather than instill confidence.

During the first presidential debate, Biden himself helped to muddy the waters by asserting that he does not support the Green New Deal — a $93 trillion proposal that seeks to phase out fossil fuels in America — despite the fact that he appointed the author of that proposal, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as co-chair of his campaign’s climate policy task force. 

“No, I don’t support the Green New Deal,” the former vice president said at the time, even though he also defensively claimed that the Green New Deal would “pay for itself.” During the recent town hall, Biden muddied the waters even further, asserting that the Green New Deal is not at the heart of his environmental agenda. 

Strangely, though, Biden’s own policy platform celebrates the Green New Deal, calling it a “framework” for his climate proposal. Despite the recent controversy surrounding this language, the endorsement of the Green New Deal is still proudly displayed on Biden’s official webpage.

There is nothing wrong with Biden changing his mind — if the Democrat nominee has genuinely decided to adopt a less ideologically-extreme approach to environmental policy, a lot of working folks would most likely rejoice. Everyone makes mistakes, and Americans typically give politicians the benefit of the doubt regarding the sincerity of their conversions as long as they are upfront and forthcoming about it. There is nothing shameful about admitting that you were wrong, learning from your mistakes, and proposing a better policy for the American people. 

What is genuinely concerning, however, is the fact that Biden and Harris act as if they never changed their position on fracking, pretending that they were always going to protect energy jobs in states like Pennsylvania. As Vice President Mike Pence pointed out during his recent debate with the California lawmaker, that simply isn’t true — both Biden and Harris have publicly endorsed a fracking ban on numerous occasions, stating their positions clearly and unequivocally. 

While fracking may seem like a trivial issue to voters in some states, it is a huge deal for Pennsylvania. The Keystone State has a thriving energy sector that supports an absolutely massive number of jobs, thanks largely to fracking. 

“The Great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania would absolutely die without the jobs and dollars brought in by Fracking,” President Trump tweeted recently. “Massive numbers! Now Biden & Harris, after Radical Left Dem Primaries, are trying to change their stance.”

He isn’t wrong — just months ago, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce published an alarming study estimating that a fracking ban would cost Pennsylvania $261 billion in lost GDP and destroy more than 600,000 jobs in just four years. 

Pennsylvanians need reassurance that our well-being won’t be sacrificed to appease far-left environmental activists. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris would rather insult our intelligence by treating our concerns with contempt. 

– Erin M. Elmore, Esq. is an attorney, political strategist, a former delegate for Trump & Deputy Press Secretary at the RNC in Cleveland.