President Biden announced a permanent halt to new oil and gas drilling in over 625 million acres of U.S. coastal waters, citing environmental and public health risks. He aims to fortify his environmental legacy against future reversals.
The president called it a climate imperative to block offshore drilling on about 20 percent of the U.S. seabed, utilizing the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act as legal backing for this decisive executive order.
While the ban is largely symbolic, given the scant exploration off California's shores since 1969, it signifies a strong stance towards ecological preservation and aims to protect coastal economies from the risks posed by drilling.
Critics note that the fossil fuel potential in these withdrawn areas is minimal, stating the environmental, public health, and economic risks make continued drilling unjustifiable.
#environmental-policy #offshore-drilling-ban #biden-administration #climate-change #coastal-protection
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