In a stunning last-minute move, President Joe Biden announced Monday that his administration will permanently ban offshore oil and gas drilling across more than 625 million acres of federal waters. The decision, framed as an environmental safeguard, will severely restrict domestic energy production just two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office.
The outgoing president is invoking authority under the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which allows him to unilaterally withdraw federal waters from energy leasing without a mechanism for reversal by future administrations. Biden’s sweeping ban covers critical offshore areas, including the East and West Coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and sections of the Northern Bering Sea in Alaska. These restrictions come on top of earlier actions that locked up vast portions of U.S. land and waters, effectively sidelining traditional energy industries in favor of Biden’s aggressive climate agenda.
“My decision reflects what coastal communities, businesses, and beachgoers have known for a long time: that drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs,” Biden said.
A “Revenge Policy” Against Energy Producers
The timing and scale of Biden’s decision suggest more than just environmental concern—it looks like a calculated effort to derail the energy policies of his successor. Donald Trump, who campaigned on revitalizing American energy with his signature slogan “Drill, baby, drill,” has promised to undo Biden’s bans and prioritize energy independence.
But Biden’s use of the 1953 law complicates Trump’s ability to reverse course. Legal experts warn that only an act of Congress or a drawn-out court battle could undo the restrictions, effectively tying the hands of the incoming president.
“This is a disgraceful decision designed to exact political revenge on the American people who gave President Trump a mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices,” said Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. “Rest assured, Joe Biden will fail, and we will drill, baby, drill.”
Energy Independence at Risk
The ban is the latest in a series of Biden administration actions that critics say prioritize political posturing over economic stability. In August, the administration blocked mining and drilling on 28 million acres of Alaskan land, followed by a proposal to halt energy leasing on 264,000 acres in Nevada. Altogether, Biden has now restricted energy development on over 670 million acres of federal land and waters.
These policies, far from securing energy independence, leave the U.S. increasingly vulnerable to global energy market disruptions. John Allen Gay, executive director of the John Quincy Adams Society, warned of the risks:
“Moves that restrict domestic U.S. energy production risk ultimately increasing U.S. exposure to geopolitical shocks in the Middle East. If there’s a big war in the Middle East that starts impacting the ability of the Middle East to export oil, we’re going to regret not developing our own domestic capacity.”
Environmentalism or Economic Sabotage?
Biden’s defenders point to environmental disasters like the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill as justification for the ban. But critics argue that responsible drilling technologies have advanced significantly since then, reducing the risk of spills while enabling the U.S. to remain a global energy leader.
Meanwhile, Biden’s promotion of offshore wind projects has also raised questions. His administration has approved 11 commercial-scale wind farms since 2021, citing the need to transition to clean energy. Yet offshore wind developments face growing backlash for their environmental impact, particularly the alarming rise in whale deaths near wind farm sites.
“We’re very much concerned about the well-being of marine mammals, especially endangered North Atlantic right whales,” said one local activist. With only 370 of the species remaining, many fear that offshore wind’s potential harms may outweigh its benefits.
Trump’s Path Forward
Despite Biden’s roadblocks, Trump has vowed to fight for American energy independence. While the 1953 law limits his ability to immediately reverse the offshore drilling bans, the president-elect could pursue legislative solutions or focus on dismantling Biden’s offshore wind initiatives, which he has criticized for harming the environment and local economies.
For now, the American people are left grappling with the economic consequences of Biden’s sweeping energy restrictions. High gas prices, reduced energy security, and diminished job opportunities in traditional energy sectors may define his legacy as one of economic regression cloaked in environmental virtue signaling.
