'Fracking is bad, actually': AOC responds to Kamala Harris insisting at debate that Biden won't ban it

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared to criticise the Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris as she defended Joe Biden’s fracking commitment during her debate with Mike Pence.

The proggressive New York Democrat wrote on Twitter that “Fracking is bad, actually,” after Ms Harris defended Mr Biden’s climate plan during Wednesday night’s debate.

Whilst the California senator called for a fracking ban as a presidential candidate, the climate plan put forward by the party’s nominee does not propose a hydraulic fracturing ban.

Despite those proposals, vice president Mr Pence on Wednesday repeated claims that a Biden administration would ban the controversial drilling practice, which has boosted US energy production in some states.

They include Pennsylvania, where fracking is a key issue in the industry-heavy swing state.

The drilling practice has proven controversial, however, and necessitates the injection of liquid at high pressure underground to release natural gases.

Ms Harris argued that a Biden administration would concentrate on creating new jobs around “clean energy and renewable energy," whilst stopping at a ban on fracking.

"I will repeat, and the American people know, that Joe Biden will not ban fracking. That is a fact," Ms Harris argued, as she highlighted the candidate’s belief in science.

Those on the left of the Democratic party have meanwhile called on Mr Biden to back a Green New Deal proposed by Ms Ocasio-Cortez, which aims to combat the climate crisis.

Mr Biden has, in turn, avoided supporting the proposals amid Trump campaign attempts to tie him to so-called “radical left” environmental policies.

He said in August that “I am not banning fracking. Let me say that again: I am not banning fracking no matter how many times Donald Trump lies about me.”

The Democrat has previously argued that there needed to be an energy “transition”, whilst suggesting potential restrictions on fracking permits and insurance instead.