In a sweeping environmental move, U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday enacted a ban on offshore drilling across extensive areas of U.S. coastal waters, just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office with promises to expand fossil fuel production.
The ban covers the entire Atlantic coastline, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific coastlines of California, Oregon, and Washington, and part of the Bering Sea off Alaska. The White House announced that the decision protects over 625 million acres (253 million hectares) of ocean waters.
“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 said in a statement. He emphasized the minimal fossil fuel potential of these areas compared to the environmental, public health, and economic risks of new drilling.
Legal and Political Implications
The ban, enacted under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1953, has no expiration date, posing potential legal and political challenges for the incoming Trump administration, which has pledged to prioritize domestic fossil fuel production. The law does not explicitly allow presidents to unilaterally reverse drilling bans without congressional approval, adding complexity to any potential rollback.
During his campaign, Trump vowed to boost domestic fossil fuel output to reduce gas prices, despite record-high extraction rates. Following reports of Biden’s impending action, Trump’s incoming press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, called the move “a disgraceful decision designed to exact political revenge on the American people who gave President Trump a mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices.”
Environmental Groups Applaud Action
The decision has been celebrated by environmental organizations. Joseph Gordon, Climate and Energy Director at Oceana, called it “an epic ocean victory,” emphasizing its significance for coastal communities and future generations.
“With today’s withdrawals, President Biden has now conserved more than 670 million acres of U.S. lands, waters, and ocean — more than any president in history,” the White House noted in a statement.
Biden Administration’s Climate Legacy
This drilling ban is part of a series of last-minute climate policy initiatives by the Biden administration. In mid-December, Biden committed the United States to an ambitious new climate target under the Paris Agreement, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 61-66% below 2005 levels by 2035, with the goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
The move underscores a sharp contrast in priorities between the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration, setting the stage for potential clashes over environmental and energy policies in the years to come.
