Biden’s Leasing Ban Prevents Offshore Waters from being “Sold Off to the Highest Corporate Bidder” for Oil and Gas Drilling

President Biden has permanently banned new oil and gas leasing from United States’ waters off the Atlantic coast, the Pacific coast of California, Oregon, and Washington, the Eastern Gulf of Mexico and an area in Alaska’s Bering Sea. 

Following is a reaction from Manish Bapna, president and CEO of NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):

“These ocean waters are vital for tourism, recreation, and fisheries--all of which would be threatened by oil drilling. By not allowing these public waters to be sold off to the highest corporate bidder, President Biden has put people and nature over polluters.

“Offshore drilling causes immense harm to coastal communities, pollute the ocean, and harm wildlife. History has unfortunately taught us that oil and gas drilling in the ocean inherently risks catastrophe. President Biden's leasing withdrawal helps limit this risk and prevents oil and gas companies from lining their pockets at the public’s expense.”

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NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).