Tonight, the two leading U.S. presidential candidates will face off in a debate hosted by ABC. This debate is unlikely to introduce any major new policies, including on energy issues.
Fracking Debate
A central topic expected to come up is fracking, a highly debated issue in the energy sector. Vice President Kamala Harris’s position on this has shifted over time. In 2019, she was clear about her stance: “There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking,” she said during a CNN town hall. Harris had promised to tackle the issue on her first day in office and had a history of working on it in California.
During her campaign, Harris challenged Joe Biden’s position by stating, “Joe Biden will not ban fracking. That is a fact.” However, her recent CNN interview shows she has moderated her stance. “What I have seen is that we can grow, and we can increase a clean energy economy without banning fracking,” she told CNN’s Dana Bash.
The question of whether Harris will maintain her strong anti-fracking stance may depend on which voters she aims to attract. Analysts are divided on whether sticking to her anti-fracking position will help or hurt her chances in Pennsylvania.
Permitting and Energy Policies
The oil and gas industry will be closely watching the debate to gauge the candidates’ positions on permitting processes, which impact major projects like pipelines.
Other energy-related issues include American energy security, the pause on LNG export projects, electric vehicle (EV) subsidies, emissions regulations, and ongoing lawsuits against oil companies.
Trump’s Energy Policies
Former President Donald Trump is expected to continue his previous energy policies. He likely plans to lift the pause on LNG export permits and expand drilling auctions under the five-year offshore oil and gas leasing program. Trump aims to lower energy and electricity costs in the United States.