In a break with the Obama administration, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expressing "doubts" about the decision to approve offshore drilling near Alaska.
"I have doubts about whether we should continue drilling in the Arctic. And I don’t think it is a necessary part of our overall clean energy climate change agenda,"
Clinton told local New Hampshire television station NH1.
"I will be talking about drilling in general, but I am skeptical about whether we should give the go ahead to drill in the Arctic," the Democratic presidential frontrunner added.
President Barack Obama
approved oil drilling in the Arctic in May with "rigorous safety standards."
Environmentalists have opposed offshore drilling in the Arctic out of concern for animals and the harm it could cause if there were an oil spill.
During a town hall meeting in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Tuesday, prior to the interview,
Clinton would not give a definite answer on whether she supports the Keystone XL pipeline when asked about her stance on the issue by a local voter.
"This is President Obama’s decision and I am not going to second-guess him because I was in a position to set this in motion, and I do not think that would be the right thing to do," the former secretary of state said.
"I want to wait see what he and Secretary [of State John] Kerry decide. If it’s undecided when I become president, I will answer your question," she added.
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