Trump Vows to Reverse Biden’s Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling Ban

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump made it clear on Tuesday that one of his first acts upon taking office will be to revoke the offshore oil and gas drilling ban put in place by outgoing President Joe Biden. Trump stated at a news conference, “Banning offshore drilling will not stand. I will reverse it immediately. I will revoke the offshore oil, gas drilling ban in vast areas on day one.”

While Trump’s intentions are clear, the process of overturning Biden’s order may prove to be challenging. Biden’s executive order withdrew 625 million acres of ocean from new offshore oil and gas development. The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which is 70 years old, allows presidents to remove areas from mineral leasing and drilling, but it does not give them the authority to reverse previous bans, as confirmed by a 2019 court ruling. This means that any reversal would likely require an act of Congress. Trump indicated that he is prepared to take the matter to court if necessary.

In addition to his plans regarding offshore drilling, Trump also expressed his administration’s intention to open up oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and to block new wind projects. He specifically mentioned a policy to prevent the construction of new windmills, stating, “We’re going to try and have a policy where no windmills are being built.”

It remains to be seen how Trump’s actions in these areas will unfold once he officially takes office on January 20. The potential implications for environmental conservation, energy policy, and legal challenges are significant.

(Source: Reuters – Reporting by Tim Reid and Nichola Groom, Editing by Franklin Paul and Nia Williams)