(RightIsRight.co) – In a sweeping action just days before President-elect Donald Trump’s return to office, Joe Biden banned offshore drilling across a staggering 625 million acres of U.S. coastal waters.
This radical decision threatens American energy independence and jobs, setting the stage for a fierce battle over the country’s energy future.
Biden’s sweeping ban covers vast areas, including the Atlantic coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific coast, and parts of the Bering Sea.
This unprecedented action marks the largest region ever protected by a president using a decades-old law, effectively locking away more than a third of economically viable offshore U.S. oil and gas reserves.
The move was praised by environmental extremists but criticized by the oil industry and conservatives who recognize the vital importance of domestic energy production.
Ron Neal, chairman of the Independent Petroleum Association of America Offshore Committee, warned that this ban poses a significant threat to the oil and natural gas industry and could lead to even more extensive restrictions.
Meanwhile, Biden claimed this decision will protect coastal communities and marine wildlife while transitioning to a “clean energy economy.”
However, critics argue that it would merely shift energy production overseas, harming American workers and energy security.
During his 2024 campaign, President Trump promised to focus on American energy dominance and increase oil and gas drilling, a stark contrast to Biden’s climate change initiatives.
The oil industry has rightly criticized this move as restricting domestic energy development and potentially transferring opportunities abroad.
Mike Sommers of the American Petroleum Institute pointed out, “American voters sent a clear message in support of domestic energy development, and yet the current administration is using its final days in office to cement a record of doing everything possible to restrict it.”
While Biden boasts about conserving more than 670 million acres of U.S. lands, waters, and ocean, he conveniently ignores the economic devastation this ban could unleash on American workers and communities dependent on the energy sector.
As the transition of power approaches, the incoming Trump administration will likely face an uphill battle to undo these misguided protections.