Harris' ambiguous stance on natural gas production may jeopardize her support in crucial Pennsylvania.

Vice President Kamala Harris is being urged by energy industry leaders to clarify her stance on fossil fuel production before the end of the presidential race, as concerns arise about potential restrictions and the continuation of President Biden's unclear policy.

Last week, after senior campaign climate adviser Camila Thorndike stated in an interview that Vice President Harris has no plans to promote fracking in office, these concerns reached a boiling point. Despite the subsequent retraction of these remarks, they triggered a wave of criticism and backlash from Republicans and industry groups, who renewed their demands for clarity from the vice president.

The retraction of the comment about fracking could harm Harris's chances in Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state with 19 electoral votes and a significant natural gas producer.

Harris failed to appease voters during her town hall event on Wednesday night. She contradicted her previous statement of supporting a fracking ban while running for president in 2019, where she claimed there was "no question" she was in favor of banning fracking, and instead emphasized her recent endorsement of the practice.

She has consistently mentioned her vote for the Inflation Reduction Act, a Democratic-led bill that allows for new fracking leases.

Despite being in the Keystone State, gas groups are still uncertain about Harris's leadership on oil and gas issues, particularly regarding fracking, as she has not provided clear details on how she would approach these issues with only days left before the election.

"More fracking confusion has been inspired by her remarks," said a statewide industry group.

A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Energy Infrastructure Alliance joked about Harris's inconsistency on fracking in a blog post on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for Grow America's Infrastructure Now Coalition stated to Planet Chronicle that Harris continues to give mixed messages about her stance on fracking, which is a crucial issue for voters in battleground states like Pennsylvania.

The group pointed out that while Harris stated she wouldn't prohibit fracking, promoting energy production is a different matter.

Whether the Harris campaign will clarify her position remains to be seen as she travels through Pennsylvania.

To win Pennsylvania, it may be necessary to support the production of fossil fuels. The state is the second-largest natural gas producer in the U.S. and has a gas industry that provides over 120,000 jobs and contributes approximately $41 billion to the state's economy annually.

Earlier this month, Amanda Eversole, the chief operating officer of the American Petroleum Institute, stated on Planet Chronicle that it's clear that the route to the presidency lies through Pennsylvania.

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To date, Harris has not provided clear policy positions on energy production, which was a contentious issue during the Biden administration.

Despite the fact that the U.S. oil and gas production reached historic levels under President Biden's leadership, her recent stump speeches in Pennsylvania have focused heavily on this production.

As vice president for the past four years, we have invested a trillion dollars in a clean energy economy and increased domestic gas production to unprecedented levels, Harris stated in recent campaign comments.

The U.S. Oil and Gas Association characterized Harris's stance on social media as a shift from her previous stance.

Republicans seized on their victories in Pennsylvania, where Democrats have been struggling to regain momentum, including both Harris and down-ballot candidates like Sen. Bill Casey.

A spokesperson for former President Donald Trump's campaign used Thorndike's recent remarks to emphasize that only Trump is the candidate who will lower utility bills and stimulate economic growth in Pennsylvania.

Rick Perry, the former U.S. Energy Secretary, criticized the interview and the confusion surrounding Harris's policy positions before the election.

In a statement to Planet Chronicle, Perry expressed concern over the recent comments from Harris' climate director, which were made less than 2 weeks before the election.

"The Vice President should disavow extreme comments that insult the millions of energy workers in the oil and gas industry, and voters from PA, OH, and WI should believe her first time she vowed to ban fracking."

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