A Harris Presidency appears to be the leading scenario for the Democratic nomination for the November election. Given her track record as California attorney general and vice president, this could be concerning news for the oil industry.
Harris’ Legal Actions Against the Oil Industry
Her career highlights, widely covered in the media, include lawsuits against oil companies such as Chevron, which she prosecuted for mishandling hazardous materials. She also targeted Plains All-American Pipeline in 2015 for an oil spill off California’s coast.
Interestingly, Harris’ claim that she sued Exxon, made during the 2020 elections, seems to be inaccurate, according to Inside Climate News. However, she does seem to be an even more committed advocate for the energy transition than Joe Biden.
Early Environmental Advocacy
In the early 2000s, as district attorney for San Francisco, Harris established the first environmental justice unit in her department to handle environmental crimes, including hazardous waste. “Crimes against the environment are crimes against communities, people who are often poor and disenfranchised,” Harris said in 2005.
Support for the Green New Deal
As California attorney general and later as a state senator, Harris was a strong supporter of the Green New Deal, which has made the state a leader in the energy transition despite its high costs. She has also publicly advocated for a ban on fracking, gaining popularity among climate activists.
“She is the kind of leader who will hold the fossil fuel industry accountable, and that’s what we need right now,” said Jared Huffman, a Democratic Representative from California, in an interview with Bloomberg. “She would absolutely carry on and build on the success of the Biden administration on climate and clean energy.”
Challenges for Harris Presidency
However, this stance poses a challenge for the November elections. To win the presidency, Harris—if she secures the Democratic nomination—will need support from voters in energy-focused states like Pennsylvania.
In 2019, during the primaries, Harris advocated for a fracking ban and a carbon tax, referred to as a “climate pollution fee,” targeting the oil and gas industry. “Her record is something that climate and environmental justice advocates would get excited about, and I think she could really lean into her record as a prosecutor by going after big oil and gas,” said Danielle Deiseroth, head of the think tank Data for Progress, to Axios.
However, Scott Jennings, a Republican strategist, told Axios, “If the Dems don’t win PA they are COOKED. And her views aren’t compatible with winning there.”
Potential Impact on the Oil Industry
This suggests that Harris may have to either focus on her core voter base and risk losing swing states like Pennsylvania or soften her rhetoric to win over voters in oil and gas states. Even if she does adjust her approach, a Democratic presidency with Harris in the White House would likely see the federal government taking action against Big Oil.
“While we have yet to see the first case where a fossil fuel company is held liable for damages from climate change, the prospect of a DOJ-led lawsuit would increase the chances of finding liability, with an increase in the potential for damages, litigation costs, and reputational risk,” consultancy Rapidan Energy Group noted in a message to clients, as quoted by Bloomberg.
