US, January 7, 2025 (Punjab Khabarnama Bureau): President Joe Biden has announced a move to safeguard 625 million acres of offshore areas from future oil and gas drilling.
The White House revealed the decision on Monday, a step that could complicate the incoming Donald Trump administration’s plans for fossil fuel expansion.
Biden is leveraging the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), which grants presidents the authority to permanently withdraw sections of the Outer Continental Shelf from oil and gas leasing. The protected regions include areas of the East and West coasts of the United States, the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska’s North Bering Sea.
Trump may need Congressional approval to reverse Biden’s move
The act, however, does not provide a mechanism for a subsequent president to revoke such protections, meaning Trump may need congressional approval to reverse Biden’s decision.
“Drilling in the areas I’m seeking to protect could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs,” Biden said.
“It is not worth the risks. 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.”
Summary: Joe Biden invokes a 72-year-old law to take action against Donald Trump just days before leaving office, intensifying political tensions.