President Joe Biden is reportedly preparing to impose restrictions on offshore oil and gas drilling in his final days in office, a move aimed at appeasing environmental advocates while potentially hindering President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to expand the U.S. energy sector, according to Bloomberg News.
The anticipated executive order would permanently ban new lease sales for oil and gas drilling in specific areas of the outer continental shelf, Bloomberg reported, citing anonymous sources familiar with the plan. Several Democratic lawmakers and influential environmental organizations have urged Biden to enact enduring environmental protections during the closing days of his presidency, potentially complicating Trump’s “energy dominance” agenda.
The exact scope of the order remains uncertain, but internal discussions have reportedly focused on restricting areas off the coast of California and parts of the Gulf of Mexico, according to Bloomberg News. The timing of the policy announcement is also unclear, though it could come within the next few days. While many of the Biden administration’s energy policies can be relatively easily reversed, the anticipated offshore drilling ban would be permanent and “difficult to revoke,” as it relies on a law allowing presidents to protect federal waters from drilling without explicitly permitting the reversal of previous designations, according to Bloomberg News.
Although President-elect Donald Trump could attempt to roll back Biden’s order, it remains uncertain whether such efforts would succeed. The offshore protections starkly conflict with Trump’s campaign pledge to “unshackle” and expand the U.S. energy sector. In 2023, the Biden administration further curtailed offshore oil and gas activity by implementing the most restrictive five-year leasing plan in modern history.
In its final weeks, the outgoing administration has been actively finalizing climate policies and allocating funding for various green initiatives following the election. Actions include a 20-year block on oil and gas development in Nevada’s Ruby Mountains and the approval of substantial taxpayer-funded loans for green energy companies. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
