Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is insisting that he will not ban fracking if he wins the White House in the upcoming presidential election.
During an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) was asked if he was bothered by Biden’s vow that he would not ban fracking.
“You know, it does not bother me. I have a very strong position on fracking. You know, the science is very clear. The methane emissions from fracking are up to 64 times more powerful than CO2 emissions at trapping heat in the air, and just from a perspective of stopping climate change,” she said.
“However, that is my view. Vice President Biden has made very clear that he does not agree with a fracking ban. It will be a privilege to lobby him should we win the White House, but we need to focus on winning the White House first. And I’m happy to make my case, but I also understand that we have some disagreement on that issue,” she added.
Watch the video below:
“Vice President Biden has made very clear that he does not agree with a fracking ban… It will be a privilege to lobby him should we win the White House, but we need to focus on winning the White House first,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/NZ5SzTY8Co
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) October 25, 2020
Throughout the campaign, President Donald Trump has accused his rival of supporting a ban on fracking.
During a 2019 Democratic presidential primary debate, Biden was asked if there would be “any place for fossil fuels, including coal and fracking” in his administration.
He responded, “No, we would — we would work it out. We would make sure it’s eliminated and no more subsidies for either one of those, either — any fossil fuel.”
But during the final presidential debate, Biden said he “never said I oppose fracking.”
Biden’s plan on fracking does not include a total ban, rather it calls for “banning new oil and gas permitting on public lands and waters.”
However, Biden’s campaign has said he supports the elimination of subsidies for the fossil fuel industry.