Biden concerns Pennsylvania voters with his 'confusing' message over fracking: Former VP gives three interviews and insists he won't ban fracking but will 'transition' away from it - as AOC says it's 'a good first step'

  • Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she is not 'bothered' by Joe Biden's 'confusing' messaging on fracking 
  • She says his commitment to reach zero emission by 2050 by transition away from oil and fracking is a good 'first step' in an environmental plan
  • Joe Biden vowed during the second debate Thursday that he would transition the U.S. away from oil and fracking toward wind and solar within 30 years time
  • While spending time in Pennsylvania, Biden faced backlash comments from voters in the key battleground state who rely on the fracking industry
  • The Democratic nominee wants to achieve zero emissions by 2050
  • 'That's a big statement,' Donald Trump said, calling the idea a 'pipe dream' 
  • The two candidates faced-off on the environment, which they vastly differ on, at the second and final debate in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday night

Voters in Pennsylvania are said to be concerned with Joe Biden's 'confusing' message over fracking, in light of the Democratic nominee's newly revealed plan to transition away from oil energy and fracking by 2050.

Biden unveiled his intentions oil with wind and solar power sources during the second and final presidential debate with President Donald Trump on Thursday.

While Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called Biden's pledge a good 'first step' in combating the climate crisis on Sunday, Pennsylvania voters, however, are not so pleased - especially as fracking is a huge industry in the rust belt state. 

In three separate interviews with local news in the swing state on Saturday, Biden faced a grilling over his newly unveiled commitment.  

He also faced backlash, as well, for his mixed-messaging on fracking, at some points claiming he wants to ban the measure completely, and at other times assuring voters that he does not plan to get rid of the process.

'Look I'm from Scranton, Pennsylvania. My great grandfather was a mining engineer. So I come from coal country. And I'm not talking about eliminating fracking, I just said no more fracking on federal lands,' Biden told CBS Philadelphia on Saturday. 

'With regard to gas, oil, coal all of it, the transition is taking place having nothing to do with anything I'm proposing,' he continued. 'The fact is that the fastest growing industries in the country are solar and wind. We can move in a direction where the transition takes place, so that people are not left behind, and we we got to invest in the new technologies.'

Voters in Pennsylvania are said to be concerned over Joe Biden's 'confusing' message over fracking, in light of the Democratic nominee's newly revealed plan to transition away from oil energy and fracking by 2050

Voters in Pennsylvania are said to be concerned over Joe Biden's 'confusing' message over fracking, in light of the Democratic nominee's newly revealed plan to transition away from oil energy and fracking by 2050

Progressive Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she is not 'bothered' by Joe Biden's inconsistent messaging on fracking as she says it's a good 'first step' to transition away from oil

Progressive Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she is not 'bothered' by Joe Biden's inconsistent messaging on fracking as she says it's a good 'first step' to transition away from oil

Talking to NBC affiliate WBRE in Wilkes-Barre the same day, Biden offered the same message, saying he would put an end to existing subsidies and tax breaks for oil companies.

'I will not ban fracking, I said no fracking on federal land. I will not ban fracking, number one,' Biden said. 'Number two, the coal and, excuse me, the natural gas industry, and oil is not going to be fundamentally changed. They're already in transition. 

'What I'm saying is that we will not continue to subsidize, give tax breaks to the oil companies which amount to $40 billion. They will not get that, and that money will be put into research and development to figure out how to carbon capture what's coming off of gas and oil.'

Biden provided additional context about his fracking plans in an interview with Scranton-based ABC affiliate WNEP. 

'What I said was, we're gonna stop the subsidies for oil, which is about $40 billion. We're going to take that money, invest it in new technologies for what they call carbon capture,' Biden said.

'We're going to still need oil. We're gonna still have combustion engines, We're still going to need oil for many things, but what's happening is you have to do it, and we can work toward getting it done so you can capture the carbon that comes from that gas and that oil. That's what has to be done.'

At the debate Thursday night in Nashville, Tennessee, Biden committed to getting rid of oil energy by the year 2050, which Trump called a 'big statement.' Biden says instead, the U.S. will transition to renewable energy sources like wind and solar. 

In regard to fracking, Biden has been inconsistent with his long-term vision. 

While he has regularly stated he only intends on banning new fracking on federal lands, during a 2019 Democratic primary debate, he offered a far more wide-ranging approach. 

When asked whether the would be 'any place' for fossil fuels, such as coal and fracking, in a Biden White House 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.' 

Joe Biden vowed during the second and final debate Thursday that he would transition the U.S. away from oil and fracking toward wind and solar and other renewable energy sources by 2050

Joe Biden vowed during the second and final debate Thursday that he would transition the U.S. away from oil and fracking toward wind and solar and other renewable energy sources by 2050

A photo taken from a drone shows a natural gas fracking well pad in Freeport, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, October 15

A photo taken from a drone shows a natural gas fracking well pad in Freeport, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, October 15

While spending time in Pennsylvania over the weekend, Biden had to answer for these comments from voters in the key battleground state who are not happy with his remarks on banning fracking

While spending time in Pennsylvania over the weekend, Biden had to answer for these comments from voters in the key battleground state who are not happy with his remarks on banning fracking

Ocasio-Cortez also railed against Donald Trump, and Republican lawmakers, for calling her her nickname 'AOC,' claiming it is ;disrespectful' and only her 'community and the people' can call her that

Ocasio-Cortez also railed against Donald Trump, and Republican lawmakers, for calling her her nickname 'AOC,' claiming it is ;disrespectful' and only her 'community and the people' can call her that

But Democratic firebrand Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez said she isn't bothered by Biden's 'confusing' stance on the matter, in a Sunday interview on CNN. 

'You know, it does not bother me. I believe – and I have a very strong position on fracking. The science is very clear,' Ocasio-Cortez, who co-authored the progressive Green New Deal, told CNN's Jake Tapper during an interview on 'State of the Union' Sunday morning.

'Just from a perspective of stopping climate change, there is a scientific consensus,' she said in reference to the harms of fracking. 'However, that is my view. Vice President Biden has made very clear that he does not agree with a fracking ban.'

While Ocasio-Cortez said it is clear she and the former vice president disagree on fracking, it's important 'to focus on winning the White House first.'

'I'm happy to make my case. But I also understand that he is in disagreement on that issue,' she added. 

Ocasi-Cortez said she also agrees with Biden's idea of getting rid of subsidies for the fossil fuel industry.

'Well, when he says, we're eliminating subsidies, I think that that is, frankly, an important first step,' the New York Democrat told CNN. 'There's a lot of folks who like to tout themselves as free market capitalists, while still trying to make sure that they get as much government subsidy and propping up of the fossil fuel industry as possible.'

'When you eliminate government subsidies, they – it becomes more difficult for fossil fuels to compete in the market,' she added. 'While the vice president wants to make sure that he's not doing it by a government mandate or regulation, I do believe that we are moving towards that future. Again, I believe that there is a way and that we should push that process along. But, again, the vice president and I's disagreements are, I believe, recorded. And that's quite all right.' 

Democratic nominee Joe Biden vowed at the debate Thursday to move away from the oil industry to achieve zero emissions by 2050

Democratic nominee Joe Biden vowed at the debate Thursday to move away from the oil industry to achieve zero emissions by 2050

President Trump said that was a 'very big statement' as he claimed he knows more about wind power than Biden

President Trump said that was a 'very big statement' as he claimed he knows more about wind power than Biden

 

Biden vowed Thursday he would move to transition away from oil and replace it with wind and solar by 2050.

'Would you close down the oil industry?' Trump asked Biden during a back-and-forth on the environment and energy sources at the debate in Nashville, Tennessee Thursday evening.

'I would transition from the oil industry, yes,' Biden affirmed, vowing to put a process in place to do so by 2050 if he were elected.

'Oh, a transition. That's a big statement,' Trump said.

Biden shot back: 'It is a big statement.'

'Why would you do that?' the debate moderator, NBC News' Kristen Welker, cut in.

'Because the oil industry pollutes it significantly,' Biden said. 'Because it has to be replaced by renewable energy – over time, over time. And I've stopped giving to the oil industry, I would stop giving them federal subsidies. You won't give federal subsidies to the gas -- excuse me, to solar and wind. Why are we giving them to the oil industry?'

'We actually do give them to solar and wind and that is the biggest statement in terms of business, that is the biggest statement because basically what you're saying – he is destroying the oil industry. Will you remember that, Texas? Will you remember that, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Ohio?' Trump lamented. 

Biden assured reporters before boarding his plane at the Nashville airport after the debate that people in the oil industry would not lose their jobs because there would be more created in the transition toward renewable energy.

'Eventually we're going to have to go to oil, but we're not getting rid of fossil fuels,' Biden clarified from his debate remarks. 'We're getting rid of the subsidies for fossil fuels, but we're not getting rid of fossil fuels for a long time.'

When pushed on if people would lose their jobs, Biden said, 'Well, they're not going to lose their jobs. And besides, they're gonna...there are a lot more jobs that are gonna be created in other alternatives.'

The president boasted Thursday that he knows 'more about wind' power than Biden, as he reupped his peculiar claim that windmills 'kill all the birds'.

'We are energy independent,' Trump assured after Biden claimed the 'fastest growing industry in America' is solar energy and wind. 

'I know more about wind than you do,' the president touted.

'It's extremely expensive, kills all the birds, is very intermittent, it's got a lot of problems,' Trump said of wind energy and windmills

'It's extremely expensive, kills all the birds, is very intermittent, it's got a lot of problems,' Trump said of wind energy and windmills

'It's extremely expensive, kills all the birds, is very intermittent, it's got a lot of problems, and they happen to make the windmills in both Germany and China. And the fumes coming up, if you are a believer in carbon emission, the fumes coming up to make these massive windmills is more than anything were talking about with natural gas, which is very clean.'

'Find me the science that says that,' Biden countered.

The former vice president vowed while remaining on the topic of the environment and energy, that his plan would bring the total emissions to zero by 2050.

'We have to move toward a net zero emissions,' Biden said. 'The first place to do that by the year 2035 is an energy production. By 2050, totally.'

As Trump went all in against wind energy, he praised solar for being the better option of the two, but claimed it's not 'quite there yet.'

'It's not powerful yet to really run our big, beautiful factories that we need to compete with the world,' Trump claimed.

'False,' Biden cut-in.

Trump also railed against Biden for his vow to ban fracking, which the former vice president has claimed was taken out of context.

'He takes everything out of context, but the point is, we have to move toward a net zero emissions,' Biden said.

Trump slammed the idea as a 'pipe dream.'

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