Ever since America’s first oil well was drilled in Titusville in 1859, Pennsylvania has been a pioneer in our nation’s development of energy production.

Today, the industry provides nearly half a million Keystone State jobs, contributing more than $75 billion to the state economy.

With Vice President Kamala Harris’ ascension as the presumptive Democratic nominee, all the progress and hope hang in the balance.

Should Harris become president, her policies and vision could make the first four dismal years of the Biden-Harris energy agenda pale in comparison.

A quick check of the tape reveals a slew of concerns.

Running for president in 2019, Harris declared, “There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking.”

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a proven drilling technology used for extracting oil, natural gas, geothermal energ, or water from deep underground.

It is a cornerstone of Pennsylvania’s economy, especially in the Marcellus Shale region, supporting approximately 123,000 jobs, providing livelihoods for families across the state.

President Biden’s pause on liquified-natural-gas exports this year sent ripples of concern through Pennsylvania’s natural-gas sector.

The White House announcement went out of its way to say this was a Biden-Harris administration decision, not Biden’s alone.

The move not only jeopardized jobs but undermined the economic stability of communities dependent on natural gas in my state and across the country.

Criticism of the decision didn’t come just from opponents of the Biden administration.

Both of Pennsylvania’s Democratic senators, John Fetterman and Bob Casey Jr., voiced their disagreement with the Biden-Harris LNG-export pause.

After Biden’s ill-fated debate with Donald Trump, Fetterman emerged as one of the preident’s staunchest defenders, while Casey votes with Biden 99% of the time.

Even Gov. Josh Shapiro, rumored as a possible Harris running mate, raised concerns about the pause. Their willingness to criticize speaks volumes about the policy’s misguided nature.

A fracking ban would lead to the loss of thousands of jobs, devastating communities that rely on the industry.

The economic impact would be severe, but the repercussions would not stop there.

Energy prices would inevitably rise, placing an additional burden on families already struggling with inflation.

Higher energy costs affect everyone, but they hit low- and middle-income households the hardest, especially when two-thirds of Americans report living paycheck to paycheck, per a MarketWatch analysis.

Harris wouldn’t just stop there.

In 2019, she emerged as a champion of the so-called Green New Deal, an extreme policy that calls for America to become entirely reliant on so-called “green” energy by 2050.

The initiative’s chief supporter, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), has acknowledged the price tag would be as much as $10 trillion, which is ironically the same astronomical number Harris’ 2020 climate plan clocked in at.

The Green New Deal would end production of all traditional forms of energy and the jobs it produces.

For those out of work, Harris has called for “an ability to transition.”

Hardly reassuring.

As national Democrats have drifted further away from commonsense energy policies, they’ve been losing voters.

The advantage of registered Democrats has withered down to just 4% in the state.

Compare this with the 12% advantage as recently as 2008.

The number of registered independents is also growing, another indication Pennsylvanians want leaders with a more moderate stance.

Harris’ policies are not just bad for Pennsylvania energy — they’re a hard sell for Pennsylvania votes. 

That’s why the Harris campaign announced a sudden change of heart, claiming Harris no longer plans to ban fracking.

Such a major policy reversal should come from the candidate herself, and not an anonymous campaign official. It’s safe to say the Harris campaign hopes we Pennsylvanians are gullible.

Pennsylvania’s energy industry is not just about jobs and prices; it’s also about energy independence.

The ability to produce and export natural gas strengthens the United States’ position in global energy markets and reduces dependence on foreign oil.

This independence is crucial for national security and economic stability, both of which are undermined by Biden-Harris policies that target natural-gas production and exportation.

Imagine how much worse it would get under a President Harris.

My family has called Pennsylvania home for more than a century.

I want to see my state prosper and its next generation have the same opportunities I did.

That won’t be possible if the next president interferes with our ability to remain the second-largest energy producer in America.

In November, we need an energy-policy shake-up, not a bolstering of the status quo.

Here’s hoping we get what we deserve.

Joseph Pitts, a Republican, represented Pennsylvania in the US House of Representatives from 1997 to 2017, serving as a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and chairing its Subcommittee on Health.