January 8, 2025 — U.S. President Joe Biden has implemented new protections limiting offshore oil and gas drilling operations across broad swaths of the U.S. coast, preserving 635 million acres of ocean from future oil or gas leasing.
“My decision reflects what coastal communities, businesses, and beachgoers have known for a long time: Drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs,” Biden said in a statement. “It is not worth the risks. As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities across the country and we are transitioning to a clean energy economy, now is the time to protect these coasts for our children and grandchildren.”