President Joe Biden is making waves with a bold move to protect 625 million acres of U.S. coastline from future oil and gas drilling. This decision, announced by the White House on Monday, could clash with the plans of the upcoming Donald Trump administration.
Biden is using the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to block new drilling activities off the East and West coasts, the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska’s North Bering Sea. This law gives the president the authority to permanently withdraw parts of the Outer Continental Shelf from future fossil fuel leases. The interesting part? There’s no clear way for a new president to undo this decision unless Congress gets involved to change the law.
For Trump, this creates a potential roadblock. His push to quickly ramp up fossil fuel production could be challenged by Biden’s actions, which could make things tricky when he takes office again this month. In fact, Trump’s incoming press secretary didn’t hold back, calling Biden’s decision “disgraceful” and claiming it was a move to punish the American people who, according to her, had given Trump a mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices. “Rest assured, Joe Biden will fail, and we will drill, baby, drill,” Karoline Leavitt wrote on X.
But Biden is standing firm. He argues that drilling in these protected areas could cause “irreversible damage” to beloved landscapes and that it’s simply unnecessary for the country’s energy needs. “As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities across the country, now is the time to protect these coasts for our children and grandchildren,” Biden said.
However, not everyone agrees with Biden’s stance. Mike Sommers, president of the American Petroleum Institute, quickly called the decision “politically motivated” and argued that the U.S. should tap into its vast offshore resources for affordable energy and global stability.
Interestingly, Biden’s decision has garnered support from both sides of the aisle. Governors, Members of Congress, and coastal communities, from California to Florida, have joined in advocating for greater protection of the oceans and coastlines, fearing the risks that offshore drilling could bring.
As we move into 2025, this decision could spark a continued debate on the future of U.S. energy policy. Will Biden’s protection stand, or will the next administration push for more drilling? Only time will tell.
