Trump plans to ‘immediately’ reverse Biden’s ‘ridiculous’ ban on new oil and gas drilling along the US coast
President-elect Donald Trump has said he plans to immediately overturn President Biden’s new ban offshore drilling along much of the US coast, but faces major roadblocks under the 70-year-old, irrevocable law.
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump promised that, if elected, he would expand oil and gas drilling in an effort to bolster American-made energy.
However, issued by Biden An 11th-hour executive order on Monday morning to prevent such actions exactly two weeks before his term ends, announcing a permanent halt to most new oil and gas drilling in US coastal and offshore waters in an area that spans about 625 million acres.
“That’s ridiculous. I’m going to rescind it right now,” Trump said Monday on “The Hugh Hewitt Show.” “What is he doing?”
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President-elect Donald Trump said he would “reverse” President Biden’s ban on offshore drilling. (Sarah Meyssonnier)
“We cannot allow this to happen to our country,” Trump added. “It really is our greatest economic asset.”
The executive order, issued under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), seeks to block future oil and natural gas leasing along the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and parts of Alaska’s northern Bering Sea.
Trump said he “has the right” to reverse such an action, but given that Biden issued the order under a 1953 law that allows the president to enact bans on oil and gas development, he could not simply reverse it.
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In 2019, during Trump’s first term, a federal judge ruled that OCSLA does not allow presidents to overturn bans put in place by previous administrations. That means Trump would need congressional approval to overturn Biden’s decision.
The Edith DCOR LLC oil and gas rig, right, and the Eureka Beta Operating Company LLC oil and gas rig stand in the Beta field off the coast of Long Beach, Calif., on Tuesday, May 18, 2010. (Team Rue)
Biden said his decision stemmed from his efforts to curb climate change — one of dozens of moves in the Democratic president’s green energy plan.
“My decision reflects what coastal communities, businesses and beachgoers have long known: that drilling on these shores could cause irreparable harm to the places we value and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs,” Biden said 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.”
Trump spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt also issued a statement criticizing Biden’s order.
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“This is a shameful decision designed to take political revenge on the American people who gave President Trump a mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices. Rest assured, Joe Biden it’s not going to work, and we’re going to drill, baby, drill,” Leavitt said.
