Trump executive order reverses Biden’s offshore oil drilling restrictions

[Jack Aylmer]

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER REVERSING EFFORTS BY FORMER PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN TO RESTRICT OIL DRILLING IN THE ARCTIC AND ALONG LARGE AREAS OF THE U.S. COASTLINE.

EARLIER THIS MONTH, BIDEN BANNED NEW OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT ALONG MOST U.S. COASTLINES PRIOR TO TRUMP’S INAUGURATION.

THAT ORDER BLOCKED 625 MILLION ACRES FROM OIL AND GAS DRILLING-

INCLUDING THE NATION’S ENTIRE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC COASTS.

HOWEVER, THIS MOVE BY BIDEN WAS LARGELY SEEN AS SYMBOLIC-

SINCE THE RESTRICTIONS PRIMARILY TARGETED REGIONS IN THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS WITH LIMITED PROSPECTS FOR OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT-

AND DID NOT AFFECT AREAS WITH ACTIVE DRILLING OPERATIONS.

STILL, TRUMP’S NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER SEEKS TO REVOKE THIS BIDEN-ERA POLICY-

AS WELL AS THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION’S 2023 MEMORANDUM THAT PROHIBITED OIL DRILLING ACROSS APPROXIMATELY 16 MILLION ACRES IN THE ARCTIC.

MEANWHILE, EXPERTS NOTE THAT RE-OPENING THESE AREAS FOR DRILLING COULD BE LEGALLY COMPLICATED.

DURING TRUMP’S FIRST TERM, HE ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT AIMED TO REVERSE A SIMILAR DRILLING BAN IMPOSED BY FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA-

HOWEVER, THE ATTEMPT WAS BLOCKED BY A DISTRICT JUDGE WHO DEEMED IT UNLAWFUL.

THE COURT RULED THAT WHILE THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF LANDS ACT ALLOWS PRESIDENTS TO RESTRICT DRILLING IN CERTAIN AREAS-

IT DOES NOT EXPLICITLY GRANT THEM THE AUTHORITY TO REVOKE SUCH PROTECTIONS.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ARGUED LANGUAGE IN THE LEGISLATION STATED A PRESIDENT MAY QUOTE “FROM TIME TO TIME” WITHDRAW UNLEASED LANDS-

SAYING THIS CARRIED WITH IT PRESIDENTIAL AUTHORITY TO REVISE PRIOR WITHDRAWAL DECISIONS.

THE JUDGE DISAGREED-

RULING THAT UNDER THE LAW ONLY CONGRESS HOLDS THE POWER TO OVERTURN WITHDRAWLS OF LAND.

BEFORE THAT CASE COULD MAKE ITS WAY THROUGH THE APPEALS PROCESS, BIDEN TOOK OVER IN THE WHITE HOUSE, AND ON HIS FIRST DAY REVERSED THE ORDER-

RENDERING FURTHER LITIGATION MOOT.

BUT TRUMP’S RE-ELECTION IS LIKELY TO RENEW THIS LEGAL DEBATE.

TO GET MORE STORIES ABOUT HOW TRUMP’S RECENT EXECUTIVE ORDERS ARE CHANGING THE U.S. ENERGY SECTOR, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP AND SIGN UP FOR ALERTS FROM ME- JACK AYLMER.