Biden bans offshore drilling in 625 million acres of federal waters before the Trump administration

President Biden announced a narrow executive action Monday that bans new drilling and further oil and natural gas development on more than 625 million acres of U.S. coastal and offshore waters.

Biden, whose term expires in two weeks, said he was using his authority to protect offshore areas along the east and west coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and parts of Alaska’s northern Bering Sea from future oil and natural gas leasing. He invoked the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1953, meaning President-elect Trump’s ability to withdraw the lawsuit could be limited. Congress may need to intervene to give Trump the authority to put federal waters back into development.

“My decision reflects what coastal communities, businesses and beachgoers have long known: that drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we care about and that it is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs,” said Biden in a statement. “It’s not worth the risk. As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities across the country and we transition to a clean energy economy, now is the time to protect these shores for our children and grandchildren.”

The move was quickly condemned by Trump’s new White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt.

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President Biden speaks at a reception for new Democratic members of Congress in the State Dining Room of the White House, Sunday, January 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

“This is a disgraceful decision designed to exact political revenge on the American people who gave President Trump the mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices. Rest assured, Joe Biden will fail and we will drill, baby, drill,” Leavitt wrote on X.

Biden patted himself on the back for what he saw as his legacy in the fight against climate change.

“From day one, I have implemented the most ambitious climate and conservation agenda in our country’s history. And over the last four years, I have protected more than 670 million acres of America’s lands and waters, more than any other president in history,” Biden said. “The remarkable progress in conserving and restoring our lands has been made on the ground by tribes, Farmers and ranchers, fishermen, small businesses and outdoor recreation enthusiasts across the country, together, our America the Beautiful initiative has put the United States on track to meet my ambitious goal “To protect at least 30 percent of our country’s land and water by 2030.”

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign town hall at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center & Fairgrounds in Oaks, Pennsylvania, on October 14, 2024, as South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem moderator listens. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

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“We do not have to choose between protecting the environment and growing our economy, or between maintaining healthy oceans, the resilience of our coasts and the security of the food they produce, and maintaining low energy prices,” the statement continued. “These are wrong decisions. Protecting America’s coasts and oceans is the right thing to do and will help communities and economies thrive for generations to come.”

Ron Neal, chairman of the Independent Petroleum Association of America’s offshore committee, also called Biden’s latest offshore drilling ban “significant and catastrophic.”

“Although it may not have a direct impact on the currently active production areas in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and adjacent coastal areas, it represents a serious attack on the oil and natural gas industry. This should be viewed as the ‘elephant’s nose under the tent.’ “The ban significantly limits the potential for exploration and development in new areas and therefore affects the long-term viability of the industry,” Neal, also president of Houston Energy LP and CEO of HEQ Deepwater, said in a statement. “This move is a first step toward broader restrictions across our industry in all U.S. basins, including coastal areas. If the activists come for anything, they come for anything. The policy is disastrous for new oil and natural development.” But environmentalists will also ultimately want to close offshore wind farms for the same reasons that President Biden and his allies continue to push anti-energy policies that will harm Americans.

Offshore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. (Ron Buskirk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

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During his 2024 campaign, Trump pledged to secure American “energy dominance” on the world stage as he pushed for expanding oil and gas production in the US and distanced himself from Biden’s prioritization of climate initiatives.