US President Joe Biden has announced a ban on new offshore oil and gas development along most US coastlines, a decision that could be difficult for President-elect Donald Trump, who has promised to boost domestic energy production, to reverse.
The White House confirmed on Monday that Biden would use his authority under the 70-year-old Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to protect federal waters off the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and parts of the northern Bering Sea in Alaska. The ban will affect approximately 253 million hectares of ocean.
Biden stated that the decision aligns with his climate change agenda and his broader goal of conserving 30% of US lands and waters by 2030.
He also cited the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, explaining that the limited drilling potential of the areas affected by the ban did not justify the potential public health and economic risks of future leasing.
“My decision reflects what coastal communities, businesses, and beachgoers have known for a long time: drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear, and it is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs,” Biden said. “It is not worth the risks.”
The announcement comes as Trump has vowed to undo Biden’s conservation and climate change policies when he assumes office later this month.
During Biden’s tenure, he limited new oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters, facing opposition from drilling states and industry groups.
However, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act allows presidents to withdraw areas from mineral leasing and drilling but does not provide the legal authority to reverse prior bans, according to a 2019 court ruling.
This ruling came in response to Trump’s attempt to overturn the Arctic and Atlantic Ocean withdrawals made by former President Barack Obama at the end of his presidency.
Interestingly, even Trump invoked the law to ban offshore drilling rights sales in the eastern Gulf of Mexico off Florida’s coast through 2032. Biden’s decision will protect the same area, with no expiration date.
The oil and gas industry has strongly criticized the decision, arguing that it undermines American energy security. “We urge policymakers to use every tool at their disposal to reverse this politically motivated decision and restore a pro-American energy approach to federal leasing,” said Mike Sommers, President of the American Petroleum Institute.
Environmental groups, however, celebrated the move. Oceana called it a victory for Americans who rely on clean coastlines and healthy fisheries. “Our treasured coastal communities are now safeguarded for future generations,” said Joseph Gordon, Oceana’s campaign director.
