"WASHINGTON -- The Trump administration announced on Thursday new oil drilling off the California and Florida coasts for the first time in decades, advancing a project that critics say could harm coastal communities and ecosystems, as President Donald Trump seeks to expand U.S. oil production. Tourism and access to clean beaches are key parts of the economy in both states"
"The oil industry has been seeking access to new offshore areas, including Southern California and off the coast of Florida, as a way to boost U.S. energy security and jobs. The federal government has not allowed drilling in federal waters in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, which includes offshore Florida and part of offshore Alabama, since 1995, because of concerns about oil spills. California has some offshore oil rigs, but there has been no new leasing in federal waters since the mid-1980s."
"Since taking office for a second time in January, Trump has systematically reversed former President Joe Biden's focus on slowing climate change to pursue what the Republican calls U.S. "energy dominance" in the global market. Trump, who recently called climate change "the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world," created a National Energy Dominance Council and directed it to move quickly to drive up already record-high U.S. energy production, particularly fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas."
The Trump administration authorized new offshore oil drilling off California and Florida coasts, opening federal waters that had been largely off-limits for decades. The move aims to expand U.S. oil production and supports industry calls for access to Southern California and eastern Gulf areas. Federal bans have restricted drilling in parts of the eastern Gulf since 1995 and halted new federal leasing off California since the mid-1980s. The administration reversed prior climate-focused policies, created a National Energy Dominance Council, and prioritized fossil fuels while restricting offshore wind and canceling clean-energy grants. The proposal generated bipartisan concern over coastal economies and environmental risks.
Read at ABC30 Fresno
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