Group Calls on Presidential Candidates to Pledge Administrations Free of Fossil Fuel-Promoting Appointees

Today the political advocacy organization Food & Water Action issued a pledge to the Democratic presidential candidates, calling on them to commit, if elected, to only appoint relevant staff that oppose all fracking and new fossil fuel development. The issuance of this pledge comes on the heels of multiple candidates - Senators Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris - stating last week that they support banning fracking everywhere. Senator Bernie Sanders has been on the record with this position for a long time.

The text of the pledge, sent to all the Democratic candidates today, is as follows: As president, I pledge to only appoint individuals to environmental, energy, foreign policy and national security positions in my administration that affirm the extent of the climate emergency we face, and support: banning fracking everywhere; halting all new fossil fuel infrastructure development; and banning fossil fuel exports.

"We are pleased to see a handful of presidential candidates now asserting their support for banning fracking everywhere. But as we know so well from the Trump administration and many before it, much of the policy issued by the White House is formulated and implemented by cabinet members, agency heads and key staff - many of whom have their own beliefs, agendas and motivations," said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Action. "If presidential hopefuls are truly serious about tackling fossil fuels head-on, a commitment on appointments must reflect this."

Current analysis from Food & Water Action indicates that Senators Harris, Sanders and Warren all support banning fracking everywhere, though only Sen. Sanders has articulated this in a written, published climate/energy plan. Senators Harris and Sanders would halt all new fossil fuel infrastructure. Sen. Warren would not. Additionally, Sanders would ban all oil and gas exports; Warren would only ban crude oil exports. Harris is not opposed to oil and gas exports.