News of President Joe Biden banning new offshore oil and gas drilling along the eastern Gulf of Mexico was well received by local environmental advocates.
“This is incredibly good news after thousands of residents, elected officials and business owners advocated for decades to permanently protect Florida’s coast from offshore drilling,” said Christian Wagley, a coastal organizer for the nonprofit Healthy Gulf. “It’s one of those instances where all of the public hearings, rallies, and letter writing eventually made a difference.”
Monday’s announcement also includes protection of the entire eastern U.S. Atlantic coast from Canada to the southern tip of Florida, the Pacific Coast, and the remaining portion of the Northern Bering Sea. In total, the action protects more than 625 million acres of U.S. ocean from offshore drilling.
Healthy Gulf has been among the environmental organizations urging the Biden administration to withdraw areas from drilling since last summer. But a new administration will be moving in soon. President-elect Donald Trump said he would reverse the drilling ban “on day one,” according to the Associated Press. Though in 2020, he signed a memorandum to prohibit drilling in waters off Florida coasts until 2032 at the urging of then-Governor Rick Scott.
“We’re very concerned about talk of expanded offshore drilling, especially given that the western and deep water areas of the Gulf did not receive protections with this recent action,” said Wagley. “Doing that will increase air and water pollution in the Gulf region, further harming coastal communities and marine life in areas of the Gulf that are already considered a ‘sacrifice zone.’”
As Wagley points out, even oil rigs located offshore other states can pose a risk to Florida which was the case with the 2010 BP oil spill.
“We will resist any expansion of dirty industry by engaging with Gulf Coast communities and utilizing education, advocacy, and legal action,” he said.
“The battle now will pivot to winding down the remaining drilling in the western and central Gulf as we transition to renewable energy.”
Many Republicans, like Trump, are in favor of offshore drilling and want to increase domestic oil production. The U.S. has led global oil production for six years.
But renewable energy is on the “cusp” of taking over fossil fuels, said Wagley. President Biden’s actions help that cause.
“It’s less expensive and far cleaner to make energy from the sun and wind than from fossil fuels,” he said. “With the central and western Gulf already full of drilling rigs, President Biden’s action will help to protect Florida’s beaches from the oil spills and pollution that have long damaged coastal communities in the rest of the Gulf. Resisting the expansion of drilling in the Gulf helps us break free from dependence on fossil fuels.”
