Biden, in 11th Hour Move, Bans Offshore Drilling in Most Federal Waters

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Time

4 MINUTE READ

BY MATTHEW DALY / APJANUARY 6, 2025 5:28 AM EST

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is moving to ban new offshore oil and gas drilling in most U.S. coastal waters, a last-minute effort to block possible action by the incoming Trump administration to expand offshore drilling.

Biden, whose term expires in two weeks, said he is using authority under the federal Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to protect offshore areas along the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and portions of Alaska's Northern Bering Sea from future oil and natural gas leasing.

“My decision reflects what coastal communities, businesses and beachgoers have known for a long time: that drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs," Biden said in a statement.

“As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities across the country and we are transitioning to a clean energy economy, now is the time to protect these coasts for our children and grandchildren," he said.

Read more: https://time.com/7204985/biden-bans-new-offshore-drilling-us/

[LisaM]

1. Good, and damn it that Biden couldn't finish his agenda.

I will be bitter about that for a long, long time.

[Botany]

2. Best President of my Lifetime

Go Joe Go

[Unladen Swallow]

3. Will be reversed with an EO, right?

Sadly I don't know how long it will last. I wonder how easily it can be un-done.

[Think. Again.]

4. From the article...

"Biden's actions, which protect more than 625 million acres of federal waters, could be difficult for President-elect Donald Trump to unwind, since they would likely require an act of Congress to repeal. "

[madville]

8. Doesn't make much sense

If a President has the authority to ban drilling by EO, why wouldn’t they have the authority to unban it under that same authority?

[Think. Again.]

10. I believe the law which allowed the banning by EO explicity authorizes only Congress to allow any un-banning.

[madville]

12. Well they have control of that

So we’ll see how long this holds up.

[Think. Again.]

13. Very true.

I've resigned myself to the fact that the next 4 (hopefully 2) years will be a nazi free-for-all and all that good people can do is help and support each other, and engage in firm personal silent resistance.

We are about to embark on a real-life Democratic Underground.

[Polybius]

14. That's good to hear

Although I have to wonder why it wasn't done sooner.

[mdbl]

5. does this mean no more dawn commercials showing baby ducklings covered in crude?

Our entire ocean is on the brink of being too toxic to eat the fish. Let's dump more shit into it.

[Bengus81]

6. Ok...we'll move drilling to the Grand Canyon,Yosemite and all of ANWR

[Magoo48]

7. Hell yes, Joe. Way to go.

[FakeNoose]

9. Wow ... gutsy move by Joe Biden!

Unfortunately it's going to make the line of PAC donors and ring-kissers even longer, once Chump is in the White House.

[wishstar]

11. In 2020 Trump extended offshore oil ban of SC, Georgia and Florida

because even Republican governors and residents of those states don't want to risk devastation from another offshore disaster but now that Biden extended the ban further, the Repub hypocrites are piling on Biden.