Biden's Bold Ban: Protecting U.S. Coastlines from Offshore Drilling

U.S. President Joe Biden has enacted a ban on new offshore oil and gas development across most U.S. coastlines. While largely symbolic, this move aligns with Biden's climate goals and follows past efforts to restrict offshore drilling. Reversal would be challenging, requiring Congressional intervention.

In a significant move, U.S. President Joe Biden has announced a sweeping ban on new offshore oil and gas development across the majority of U.S. coastlines. This decision, while mostly symbolic, underscores Biden's commitment to combating climate change and preserving natural lands and waters.

The ban covers federal waters off the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and parts of the northern Bering Sea in Alaska, totaling 625 million acres. The action leverages the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, a legal framework in place for 70 years, to formalize the protections.

While outgoing President Donald Trump has pledged to reverse such conservation measures, a 2019 court ruling indicates that doing so would likely require an act of Congress. This decision is a continuation of efforts to counter offshore drilling risks, highlighted by Biden as unnecessary and potentially harmful to public health and the environment.

(With inputs from agencies.)