President Donald Trump has seized on Democratic competitor Joe Biden's remark that he wants the US to "transition" from oil to renewables, as the incumbent president tries to bolster support in energy-producing battleground states such as Pennsylvania.
Biden during the final presidential debate last night reiterated that he would not ban the use of hydraulic fracturing, the well stimulation technique now used on the vast majority of onshore wells in the US. But he also endorsed a seemingly more antagonistic position against the oil industry, which Biden said needs to be replaced over time by renewable energy.
"I have a transition from the oil industry, yes," Biden said. "Because the oil industry pollutes, significantly."
That remark provided an opening for Trump to repeat warnings that electing Biden would cause deep harm to the oil and gas industry and millions of associated jobs, a message his campaign hopes will resonate with Republican and independent voters. Trump has spent months trying to tie Biden to the "Green New Deal" that seeks a quick transition to net-zero emissions.
"Basically what he's saying is he is going to destroy the oil industry," Trump said during the debate. "Will you remember that Texas? Will you remember that Pennsylvania, Oklahoma?"
Pennsylvania has emerged as one of the most important states for Trump to eke out a win in the 3 November election, as polls show him trailing in other states, such as Wisconsin and Michigan, that propelled him to victory in 2016. But it is unclear if targeting Biden on oil and gas policy is a clear winner in the state, since issues such as pipeline construction and drilling have turned some residents against the industry.
Biden's remarks could prove the most challenging for moderate Democratic candidates running in districts with significant oil and gas production. US representatives Kendra Horn (D-Oklahoma) and Xochitl Torres Small (D-New Mexico) both released statements distancing themselves from Biden's position.
"I will continue to stand up to my party when they are out of touch with the reality on the ground" in New Mexico, Small said in a post on Twitter.
Oil and gas groups similarly bristled at the notion that there should be a transition toward renewable energy. They touted advancements that have helped reduce emissions.
"We are proud of the grit, innovation and progress we've made so that Americans no longer have to choose between environmental progress and access to affordable, reliable, and cleaner energy," American Petroleum Institute president Mike Sommers said. "And we are not going anywhere."
