WASHINGTON — A coalition of congressional lawmakers is calling on President Biden to use his executive authority to permanently ban offshore oil and gas drilling in unleased and at-risk areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), citing the dangers posed to coastal ecosystems, communities, and efforts to combat climate change.
In a letter led by Representatives Frank Pallone Jr., Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Raúl M. Grijalva, and Nydia M. Velázquez, the lawmakers lauded Biden’s climate leadership but pressed for additional action. They urged the president to invoke Section 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), which allows the president to withdraw lands from fossil fuel development.
“These coastal waters are too economically and ecologically important to drill,” the letter stated, warning that failing to act could leave these areas vulnerable to exploitation by oil and gas companies. The lawmakers cited public support for the move, noting that nearly two-thirds of voters and over 390 municipalities along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts oppose offshore drilling.
The letter emphasized the importance of protecting areas previously spared from development, including regions in the Arctic, Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico. It warned of risks like catastrophic oil spills, abandoned drilling infrastructure, and climate consequences, all of which could cost taxpayers billions in cleanup and mitigation.
The lawmakers also referenced historical actions under Section 12(a), including withdrawals implemented by President Obama to protect the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, many of which remain in effect. They noted that attempts to reverse such protections have failed in court, citing a 2017 case in which a federal judge ruled that Section 12(a) does not grant presidents the authority to revoke prior withdrawals.
“Offshore oil spills have caused some of the worst environmental disasters in our country’s history,” the lawmakers wrote, pointing to the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico as a grim reminder of the stakes. They also highlighted the fossil fuel industry’s record profits and argued that continued drilling undermines U.S. commitments to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The letter called on Biden to cement his legacy as “the nation’s greatest climate president” by securing these protections, which they said are critical to achieving the administration’s climate goals while safeguarding the livelihoods of coastal communities.
