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Joe Biden has implemented yet another controversial policy decision, announcing a comprehensive ban on future offshore oil and gas drilling across vast stretches of U.S. coastal waters. This sweeping restriction affects over 625 million acres of federal waters, targeting drilling operations along both the East and West coasts, eastern Gulf of Mexico, and select areas of Alaska’s northern Bering Sea.
The President invoked his authority under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, a 70-year-old legislation that grants federal jurisdiction over submerged lands beyond state waters. While existing drilling operations in the Western Gulf of Mexico will continue, the ban effectively halts new developments across other coastal regions.
In an act of political revenge, Biden bans 625 million acres of ocean off shore drilling along the United States coastline. His own party of Democrats kicked him to the curb but he’s taking it out on the American people. Petty POS.
An act of Congress is needed to reverse it.… pic.twitter.com/PMVjzduoL8
— ♥️🇺🇸 𝓒𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓪 🇮🇹♥️ (@CB618444) January 6, 2025
“Drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs. It is not worth the risks,” Biden said.
“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,” he continued.
Former President Trump promptly responded to this development during an interview with Hugh Hewitt. “I see it just came over that Biden has banned all oil and gas drilling across 625 million acres of U.S. coastal territory,” Trump stated. “It’s ridiculous. I’ll unban it immediately.”
Congress has another priority to undo yet more Biden damage inflicted on Americans. Bring back energy independence #AmericaFirst #ClimateScamhttps://t.co/WWzfo0ev8i
— SueVotesRed2 (@Susan36495963) January 6, 2025
However, reversing this decision may prove challenging due to legal precedent. A 2019 court ruling established that presidents cannot overturn previous bans issued under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, as demonstrated when Trump’s attempt to reverse Obama-era Arctic and Atlantic Ocean bans was unsuccessful.
This latest restriction follows another recent Biden administration decision to prohibit oil, gas, and geothermal development in Nevada’s Ruby Mountains for two decades, affecting approximately 264,000 acres of federal land and effectively stopping new energy exploration in that region.
