Biden issues sweeping offshore oil, gas drilling ban in 625M acres of federal waters ahead of Trump transition, according to a new report from Fox News
Key Facts:
– President Biden banned new offshore oil and gas drilling on more than 625 million acres of federal waters.
– The ban affects areas along the East Coast, West Coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and parts of Alaska’s Northern Bering Sea.
– Biden invoked the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which limits a new administration’s ability to undo the ban without congressional action.
– Trump’s incoming White House press secretary criticized the move, calling it a “disgraceful decision.”
– Biden framed this as a legacy act that aligns with his broader climate agenda.
The Rest of The Story:
President Biden, whose term expires in two weeks, took executive action on Monday to block new drilling projects in vast stretches of U.S. coastal waters.
By citing a mid-century law, he made it more difficult for the next president to immediately reverse this course.
Biden argued that protecting shorelines from potential spills and prioritizing a clean energy transition is worth any economic trade-offs.
The announcement sparked a swift rebuke from President-elect Trump’s team.
His incoming press secretary claimed the administration was punishing the public by limiting new energy production.
Trump’s campaign stance has focused on increasing energy production for “American energy dominance,” pointing to the potential for more U.S. jobs and lower fuel costs.
Meanwhile, industry representatives blasted Biden’s last-minute decision.
A prominent offshore oil and gas trade leader warned that blocking new offshore drilling would hamper future energy security and stifle economic growth in coastal communities.
Still, Biden maintained that his administration proved it is possible to protect the environment while fostering economic opportunity, touting what he called record-setting conservation efforts over his four-year term.
The Bottom Line:
Biden’s parting policy move places offshore drilling in doubt across a huge swath of federal waters.
Whether Trump can reverse this ban depends heavily on legal and congressional pathways.
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As one presidency winds down and another approaches, the fate of America’s offshore energy plans is still up in the air.