ISLAMABAD: President Joe Biden is anticipated to sign an executive order banning new offshore oil and gas production during his last weeks in office.
A move that critics of President-elect Donald Trump say would help protect areas of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans from the incoming administration, according to Rolling Stone.
Permanent ban
According to Bloomberg, people familiar with the plans said that Biden is expected to issue the permanent ban within days. The decree is based on the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, a 1953 law that lays out guidelines for oil and gas development in the United States outer continental shelf, and could allow Biden to withdraw large swaths of federal waters from future leasing, per the outlet.
“Drill, drill, drill”
According to Rolling Stone, Trump’s first term saw him roll back over 100 environmental regulations during his presidency, and allow the fossil fuel industry to increase carbon, mercury, and methane emissions. During his 2024 campaign, Trump vowed to “drill, drill, drill.” He also promised he would eliminate Biden’s key climate policies in the Inflation Reduction Act.
Last month, the president-elect chose Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Environmental experts previously told Rolling Stone that the former New York Republican lawmaker is expected to pursue Trump’s agenda of repealing countless environmental regulations.
As the president races to safeguard climate policies before Trump’s return to office, Biden is set to protect more US lands and waters than any other president.
New national monuments
According to the Washington Post, the president also plans to create two new national monuments in California in order to protect roughly 644,000-acres in Southern California near Joshua Tree National Park by barring drilling, mining, and other industrial development in the area.
Earlier this week, AP reported that the president’s administration said it submitted an application to withdraw 264,000 acres of federal lands in northeastern Nevada’s Ruby Mountains from oil, gas and geothermal leasing for 20 years.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
According to National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), seismic blasting, oil spills, gas leaks, abandoned, and orphaned wells, and greenhouse gas emissions, are among the major impacts of offshore drilling.
Seismic blasting
Every stage of offshore drilling comes with harmful impacts. Seismic testing is used by fossil fuel companies to find reserves. These blasts are the absolute loudest man-made sounds in the ocean—above 250 decibels—and can echo for miles in the water. Dolphins, whales, and other marine animals that rely on sound—for communication, navigation, hunting, and finding mates—are harmed by the constant noise. The explosive sounds go off every few seconds and can even be lethal at a close range, according to NRDC.
Oil spills, gas leaks
From the moment an oil or gas company starts drilling, there is a risk of leaks. These events wreak havoc on wildlife and coastal communities, and a big enough spill can change the entire ecosystem, according to NRDC.
Abandoned, orphaned wells
Once an operator shuts down a well—usually because it is no longer profitable—the company is required to remove its equipment and help restore the area that was damaged by its operations. But in reality, this does not always happen, according to NRDC.
Greenhouse gas emissions
According to NRDC, the burning of fossil fuels — whether that fuel comes from beneath the ocean, a hillside, or your community—is driving the climate crisis. Some studies have shown that methane emissions from offshore oil and gas operations are even greater than those on land.
