President Joe Biden has taken a significant step by announcing an executive action that will permanently ban future offshore oil and gas development in parts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. This move covers 625 million acres of US ocean and prohibits new oil and gas leasing in various regions, including the East Coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the coasts of Washington, Oregon, California, and parts of Alaska's Northern Bering Sea.
Biden's decision reflects the concerns of coastal communities, businesses, and environmental advocates who have long warned about the irreversible damage that offshore drilling could cause to these areas. By invoking the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the President has wielded his authority to withdraw federal waters from future oil and gas leasing, making it challenging for any potential reversal by the incoming administration.
