International
Biden Bans Offshore Oil, Gas Drilling in Vast Areas Ahead of Trump’s Return
- Biden enacts sweeping ban on new offshore oil and gas drilling across key US coastlines.
- Trump vows to overturn the ban immediately, citing plans to boost fossil fuel production.
- Legal complexities under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act may hinder a swift reversal.
US President Joe Biden has imposed a sweeping ban on new offshore oil and gas drilling across most of America’s coastlines, just weeks before Donald Trump’s inauguration.
The ban affects the Atlantic coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific coast off California, Oregon, and Washington, as well as a section of Alaska’s Bering Sea.
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The move is part of a series of last-minute climate policies by the Biden administration aimed at bolstering environmental protections before Trump’s return to the White House.
Trump, a staunch supporter of expanding domestic fossil fuel production, has pledged to overturn the ban “immediately” upon taking office.
However, legal hurdles could complicate such efforts. The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1953, which Biden used to enforce the ban, restricts presidents from undoing prior protections without congressional approval—a challenge given the divided political landscape.
Biden defended his decision, stating, “Drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs. It is not worth the risks.”
In contrast, Trump dismissed the ban as “ridiculous” and reiterated his commitment to revoking it, emphasizing his campaign promise to “unleash” US energy production.
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Notably, Trump had previously used the same legal authority in 2020 to protect waters off Florida’s coast, a move widely seen as an attempt to secure votes in the battleground state. Biden’s new ban expands protections without an expiration date, marking a significant departure in policy.
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