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President Biden is preparing to issue an executive order banning new offshore oil and gas development in specific US coastal waters.
Some shit you should know before you read: Offshore drilling in US waters accounts for approximately 14% of the nation’s total oil production, with the Gulf of Mexico being a key contributor. This region alone produces enough oil to rank among the top 12 global producers if it were a standalone country. However, offshore drilling has been a focal point of criticism due to high-profile incidents such as the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which released millions of barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, destroying marine ecosystems, coastal economies, and wildlife habitats. The disaster resulted in bipartisan demands for tighter regulations and a shift toward cleaner energy alternatives.
What’s going on now: According to Forbes, President Biden is preparing to issue an executive order that will permanently ban new offshore oil and gas development in select US coastal waters. This action aims to establish permanent protections for sensitive marine ecosystems, making it challenging for future administrations to reverse the decision. The targeted areas are expected to include parts of the Pacific Ocean near California and the eastern Gulf of Mexico adjacent to Florida.
Biden plans to invoke the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1953, which grants the president authority to withdraw unleased lands from mineral leasing, Biden’s order would seek to safeguard coastal communities and marine environments from the risks associated with offshore drilling, such as oil spills and ecological disruption.
This all comes as President-Elect Donald Trump will assume the presidency in 18 days, bringing with him a pro-oil agenda that prioritizes expanding domestic energy production. Trump has consistently advocated for rolling back environmental protections to facilitate drilling and energy development, framing such actions as essential for economic growth and energy independence.
While Trump may attempt to revoke President Biden’s offshore drilling ban, the executive order’s basis in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1953 complicates such efforts. Legal precedent, including a 2019 federal court decision rejecting Trump’s earlier attempt to undo an Obama-era Arctic drilling ban, indicates that courts are likely to uphold Biden’s permanent protections. Even if Trump pursues legislative or administrative pathways to expand offshore leasing, these measures would face significant procedural delays
