President Joe Biden announced an executive action on Monday that will permanently ban future offshore oil and gas development in parts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, a move that could be difficult for the incoming Trump administration to undo.
The action will prevent oil companies from leasing waters for new drilling along the entire East Coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California, and portions of Alaska’s Northern Bering Sea. The move is seen as a major victory for environmental and climate groups, who have been advocating for the protection of these areas.
Biden’s decision invokes the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which gives presidents broad authority to withdraw federal waters from future oil and gas leasing and development. The law does not provide explicit authority to revoke the action and place federal waters back in development, meaning that President-elect Donald Trump would need to get Congress to change the law in order to reverse Biden’s move.
Trump has vowed to undo the action, calling it “ridiculous” and saying that he would “unban” it immediately. However, Biden’s action is seen as a significant setback for the oil and gas industry, which has argued that it is necessary for the US to continue to be energy-independent.
The move is also seen as a major win for environmental and climate groups, who have long advocated for the protection of these areas. “President Biden’s new protections add to this bipartisan history, including President Trump’s previous withdrawals in the southeastern United States in 2020,” said Oceana Campaign Director Joseph Gordon. “Our treasured coastal communities are now safeguarded for future generations.”
Energy analysts have said that the move will not have a significant impact on US oil production, which has set new records under Biden. However, the ban is seen as a major step towards preserving the environment and the coastlines for future generations.
