U.S. President Joe Biden declared on January 6, 2025, a sweeping ban on new offshore oil and natural gas drilling across several vital U.S. coastal regions, marking a significant step in the administration’s climate policy. The new ban extends across the entire U.S. East Coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California, and additional portions of the Northern Bering Sea in Alaska.
The White House emphasized that the move would protect more than 625 million acres of U.S. ocean territory from the threats posed by offshore drilling. The announcement underscores the importance of preserving these areas for the health and sustainability of coastal communities, with nearly 40% of Americans living in coastal counties reliant on a thriving ocean ecosystem.
“This action will safeguard critical marine environments and ensure that coastal communities are protected from the environmental risks of offshore drilling, including the devastating impacts of oil spills,” the statement said. It also noted that the decision reflects a broader commitment to protect areas that are unlikely to significantly contribute to the nation’s energy needs.
The ban, enacted under the authority of Section 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, includes two Presidential Memoranda aimed at halting future oil and natural gas leasing in the affected regions. The move is permanent, effectively ending any possibility of future offshore drilling in the designated areas.
This marks the latest in a series of actions taken by President Biden to protect U.S. marine environments. In January 2021, Biden invoked similar protections for parts of the Northern Bering Sea, and in March 2023, he withdrew 2.8 million acres of the Beaufort Sea from future oil and gas leasing, thereby completing protections for the entire U.S. Arctic Ocean.
While the new ban does not impact rights under existing leases in the protected areas, it significantly limits any future exploration or drilling activities, strengthening the U.S. commitment to environmental preservation.
Environmental advocates have widely praised the decision. Ben Jealous, executive director of the Sierra Club, called the action a “major win for coastal communities, marine wildlife, and our collective future.” Jealous further stressed the importance of continuing to push for a clean energy transition, one that ends dependence on fossil fuels while promoting a sustainable economy with family-supporting jobs.
This announcement comes as the Biden administration enters its final days in office, with less than two weeks remaining before the transition of power to former President Donald Trump. These actions are part of the Biden-Harris administration’s ongoing efforts to implement climate policies, leaving a lasting environmental legacy before the end of Biden’s term.