Biden prohibits offshore oil bores in 625 million Acres Meer
Biden prohibits offshore oil bores in 625 million Acres Meer
On Monday, President Joe Biden announced an executive measure that will permanently prohibit the future development of offshore oil and gas deposits in certain parts of the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts. This ban could be particularly difficult for the upcoming Trump administration.
scope of the ban
bidens executive measure will prohibit new oil and gas contracts over an area of 625 million Acres American waters. This ban includes the entire east coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California as well as parts of the Northern Bear Sea in Alaska.
reasons for the ban
"My decision reflects what coastal communities, companies and beach visitors have known for a long time: that bores from these coasts could cause irreversible damage in places that we appreciate and that they are not necessary to cover the energy requirement of our country," said Biden in a statement. "The risks are not worth it."
meaning of the legal basis
The measure, about the CNN reported Shelf Lands Act) from 1953, which gives the President far-reaching powers to exclude federal waters from future oil and gas contracts.
challenges for future administration
The law, however, does not express the president's express authority to withdraw the measure and to re -allow the federal waters to develop. That means that The designated President Donald Trump would have to move the Congress to change the law, before he can take back the decision.
environmental protection and political support
While bidens are coming to an end, environmental and climate protection groups have pleaded to protect areas in the eastern Gulf of Mexico as well as other parts of the Atlantic and Pacific coast and thus prevent future bores. This measure would prevent future oil pollution and reduce the emission of climate -damaging exhaust gases from fossil fuels.
"President Bidens new protective measures are expanding this bipartisane history, including the previous withdrawal of President Trump to the southeast of the United States in 2020," said Joseph Gordon, campaign director of Oceana. "Our esteemed coastal communities are now protected for future generations."
reactions from industry
However, the oil industry expressed sharp contradiction to the executive measure. "President Biden's decision to ban the new offshore oil and natural gas developments about around 625 million Acres US coastal waters is significant and catastrophic," said Ron Neal, chairman of the Offshore Committee of Independent Petroleum Association of America. "This is a massive attack on the oil and natural gas industry."
NEAL pointed out that the ban will consider the future prospects of industry for the development of new oil and gas deposits considerably, which harms the long-term survival of the industry.
bipartisan consensus for coastal protection
In his opinion, however,biden emphasized that the protection of the coasts from offshore drilling enjoys cross-party support. "From California to Florida, Republican and Democratic governors, members of the congress and coastal communities have jointly worked and challenged for better protection of our oceans and coasts from the damage that offshore oil and natural gas bores can bring with them," said Biden.
He also argued that the ban he issued after the devastating oil spill of Deepwater Horizon in 2010 will help prevent similar ecological disasters in the future. "Every president in this century has recognized that certain areas of the ocean are simply too risky or too sensitive to holes," said Drew Caputo, Vice President of Earthyustice for Legal Disputes in the area of land, wildlife and oceans.
economic effects of the measure
energy analysts told CNN that the measure will hardly influence US oil production that has reached new records under bidges. Tom Kloza, global director of energy analysis at Oil Price Information Service, found that there are already numerous offshore systems in the Gulf of Mexico and that offshore projects usually need 6 to 8 years to go into operation. "I see no real influence on the US offer, exports or imports," said Kloza.
biden agreed and argued that the protection of the environment and the coasts will help to thrive the local economies. "We do not have to decide between the protection of the environment and the growth of our economy or decide between the health of our oceans, the resilience of our coasts and the safety of the food they produce and low energy prices," said Biden. "These are wrong decisions."
further announcements of the bid administration
Despite the concerns of the oil industry, Biden's decision was sharply criticized. Mike Sommer, CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, commented in a statement: "The American voters have sent a clear message in favor of domestic energy development, and yet the current administration uses its last days in office to strengthen a record to restrict everything."
In addition, the bid administration will probably be announced two new national monuments in California next week. A confidential source stated that Biden will set up the Chuckwalla National Monument in the south of California near the Joshua Tree National Park and the Sáttla National Monument in northern California after local tribes actively fight for the protection of the country from energy facilities.
So far, Biden as President has already .
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