Biden Bans Offshore Drilling in U.S. Coastal Waters

On Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden announced a sweeping ban on offshore drilling in extensive areas of the country’s coastal waters, just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is set to assume office. Trump has promised to significantly increase fossil fuel production during his presidency.

The ban encompasses the entire Atlantic coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific coast from California to Washington, and parts of the Bering Sea near Alaska. According to the White House, the decision safeguards more than 625 million acres (253 million hectares) of ocean.

“As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities across the country and we are transitioning to a clean energy economy, now is the time to protect these coasts for our children and grandchildren,” Biden stated. He emphasized that the fossil fuel potential in the areas being withdrawn from lease consideration was minimal and that the environmental, public health, and economic risks of drilling outweighed the benefits.

The ban has no end date and may be difficult for Trump to overturn, both legally and politically. Biden’s action is based on the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1953, which grants the federal government authority over offshore resource exploitation. However, the law does not explicitly allow presidents to undo such bans without Congressional approval.

Trump, who during his campaign promised to boost domestic fossil fuel production, criticized Biden’s move. Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s incoming press secretary, called it a “disgraceful decision” that would harm American people by undermining efforts to increase drilling and reduce gas prices.

However, environmental organizations have lauded Biden’s decision. Joseph Gordon, Climate and Energy Director at Oceana, described it as “an epic ocean victory,” and emphasized that the action would protect coastal communities for future generations. The White House noted that Biden has now conserved over 670 million acres of U.S. lands, waters, and oceans — the most by any president in history.

This latest move is part of a series of climate policy actions taken by the Biden administration in its final weeks, including the adoption of an ambitious climate target under the Paris Accord, aiming for a 61-66% reduction in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, and a path to net-zero emissions by 2050.