President Joe Biden has enacted an executive order protecting over 625 million acres of U.S. coastal waters from future offshore drilling. This sweeping measure bans new oil and gas leasing along the East Coast, the Pacific coastline, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and portions of Alaska’s North Bering Sea. Biden emphasized that the decision aligns with his administration’s focus on combating climate change and fostering clean energy. He highlighted the importance of safeguarding these areas for future generations as part of the transition to a sustainable energy economy.
The move leverages the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which grants presidents the authority to withdraw federal waters from oil and gas leasing. This legal framework makes reversing the ban a challenging task, as it would require Congressional action to amend the law. While former President Donald Trump criticized the order and vowed to overturn it, the procedural hurdles make such a reversal unlikely.
The practical impact of Biden’s action may be limited in the short term. Many of the protected areas already have little oil and gas activity or are under existing safeguards. For instance, the eastern Gulf of Mexico has been subject to drilling restrictions since 2006, and Trump himself enacted a 10-year drilling moratorium along parts of the Atlantic Coast in 2020 to court voters in key states.
Notably, Biden’s order does not affect central and western Gulf waters, which remain significant contributors to U.S. oil and gas production. These regions account for nearly 15% of the nation’s oil output and 97% of offshore gas production. While the ban signals a strong commitment to environmental protection and clean energy, its immediate impact on oil and gas industries may be more symbolic than substantive.
This initiative underscores Biden’s broader climate agenda, setting the stage for ongoing debates over energy policy, environmental stewardship, and the role of fossil fuels in the U.S. economy.
