Harris' energy strategy is ambiguous from a strategic perspective, say her aides

Since Vice President Kamala Harris joined the White House race 25 days ago, she has been keeping energy executives on their toes.

Was she the anti-pollution and climate change warrior Attorney General of California? Or was she the pragmatic number two in the Democratic Biden Administration that oversaw record U.S. production and exports of oil?

Seven times in her speeches, she mentioned climate, but never energy, fracking, or oil.

Polls indicate that climate change is a topic of great interest, particularly among younger voters. Her campaign is aimed at avoiding alienating any side. Her plan for controversial energy issues is described by several aides as one of strategic uncertainty.

It is important to reach out to voters in states that are considered battlegrounds, such as Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. These are the places where elections can be decided. Blue-collar workers in these states rely heavily on the extractive, manufacturing, and power industries. They often support Republican policies which aim to maximize fossil fuel production.

Harris' Republican opponent in the November 5 election has already expressed his opinion. Donald Trump described Harris as a "radical-left lunatic" in an interview he gave to billionaire Elon Musk, on Monday. He also questioned climate change's urgency.

In five of her last-week speeches, she used the same 10-word phrase to describe Trump. She said: "He intends surrendering our fight against climate crisis."

Harris' late entry into the presidential race left her with little time to fine-tune policies. When asked for specific policy proposals by a campaign official, he replied: "We barely even have campaign signs."

Toeing the BIDEN line more closely

The Harris campaign did not provide detailed answers about Harris' energy policy or how it relates to her previous statements, but said that she would follow more closely the policies of Biden than her California policies and those of when she ran for the presidency in 2019.

Joe Biden spoke out against Big Oil, but did not do much to limit fossil fuel production. Under his administration, U.S. oil production and gas have reached new records. Top energy companies ExxonMobil and Chevron also made record profits.

Biden, unlike governments in Europe did not impose a windfall on the earnings these companies made after oil and gas prices rose in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

As Vice President, Harris supported Biden’s landmark climate legislation - the Inflation Reduction Act.

A campaign spokesperson stated that "Kamala Harris, as president, will finish implementing both the IRA, and the bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and build on their success," referring to the legislation that includes lucrative clean energy subsidies programs.

She and Biden are working to expand the use of offshore wind energy, and other renewables, through lease auctions and subsides. This is in contrast to Trump, who has criticised offshore wind, and other clean technologies, and frequently states his support for fossil fuels.

HARRIS DOES NOT FAVOR A FRACKING BANNON FEDERAL LANDS ANYMORE

The Harris campaign clarified its position on a single issue. She does not support a ban on the fracking of federal lands. Biden attempted to enforce this ban but failed. It was challenged by several states, and blocked by a Louisiana federal judge.

Harris presented a detailed platform on energy and climate in 2019 that supported the prohibition and opposed any new fossil fuel infrastructure project.

Harris, as a U.S. Senator and presidential candidate for 2019, supported a Democratic Resolution to create a “Green New Deal,” a progressive effort that aims to move the country towards renewable energy.

Harris, who served as California Attorney General from 2011 to 2017, won settlements worth millions of dollars with oil giants Chevron BP and Chevron over pollution violations resulting from underground fuel tanks.

Stephen Brown, a former Tesoro lobbyist and energy consultant who had a significant refining footprint throughout California, claimed that Harris did not engage constructively with oil and gas companies during her time on Capitol Hill between 2017 and 2021.

He said, "I cannot say that her staff or she welcomed us in her office with a great deal of warmth. There wasn't much engagement." "Now, fast forward to today and you'll see that it's a bit of an open-book. "It's an open-ended question."

All the major unions have endorsed her in Pennsylvania, a state that both Harris and Trump must win.

The state hopes to take advantage of the increased demand for LNG exports from Europe. Biden stopped all new LNG export permits this year, and the Harris campaign has declined to comment on whether she would lift the suspension and encourage the construction of new LNG facilities.

Rob Bair is the president of the Pennsylvania State Building & Construction Trades Council. His members work at the state's refineries, power plants and natural gas fields. He said he spoke with the Harris team, and he was confident that she would pursue an "all-above" energy policy. However, he admitted he needed more clarity to convince his members to vote for Harris.

Would it be wonderful if she said, "I love fracking. I want LNG exports. I want more nuclear plants?" Bair replied, "Yes, but it's not realistic."

American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), an influential trade group for refining, has launched an eight-figure ad blitz in battleground states to warn of the dangers of mandating electric vehicles.

Chet Thompson is the President and CEO of AFPM. "Until she says otherwise, I believe that she will stand by everything she said in her 2019 Policy Plan and every policy she supported as a Senator," he stated. (Reporting and editing by Jarrett Renshaw, Heather Timmons Richard Valdmanis, Howard Goller, Simon Webb)

(source: Reuters)