Trump Vows to Reverse Biden's Offshore Drilling Ban 'On Day One'

Palm Beach: President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to reverse outgoing President Biden’s executive order protecting over 625 million acres of ocean from offshore drilling, criticizing Biden for undermining his transition by banning offshore energy drilling in most federal waters.

"Banning offshore drilling will not stand. I will reverse it immediately," Trump said in during a press conference on Tuesday at Mar-a-Lago.

With just two weeks left in his term, President Biden invoked the federal Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to shield 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 gas leasing. This move, affecting around 625 million acres of federal waters, may require congressional action to reverse.

Republican President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office on January 20, faces challenges in reversing President Biden's decision to withdraw 625 million acres of ocean from new offshore oil and gas exploration.

The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, enacted in 1970, allows presidents to remove areas from mineral leasing and drilling. However, it does not grant the legal authority to overturn previous bans, as clarified by a 2019 court ruling. This means any reversal of Biden's order would likely require an act of Congress .

Trump has vowed to take the matter to court “if we need to.", signaling potential legal battles over the issue.

Additionally, Trump promised to open up oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and expressed intentions to block new offshore wind energy projects, aligning with his pro-fossil fuel stance.

(with agency inputs)