(Bloomberg) – America’s oil and gas boom got a surprising endorsement Thursday from the president’s top climate adviser, as John Podesta hailed surging domestic production as an economic win for the country.
The growth has made the U.S. the world’s largest oil producer — pumping almost 50% more crude each day than Saudi Arabia. It’s “been good for the American consumer and good for national security,” said Podesta, the senior adviser to the president for international climate policy.
U.S. gas production helped the country backfill Russian supplies in Europe after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Podesta said, adding that domestic crude output has helped pare inflation, “with gas prices 20% lower than they were a year ago.”
The comments come as Vice President Kamala Harris on the campaign trail increasingly emphasizes oil production and clean energy jobs — part of a bid to find a balance on the issues as she woos gas-rich Pennsylvania.