Ian Brickey, ian.brickey@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Trump administration announced a sprawling new offshore drilling plan that vastly expands controversial oil extraction off America’s coasts.
In a secretarial order titled “Unleashing American Offshore Energy,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum ordered the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to scrap existing plans managing offshore drilling in American coastal waters and institute a more permissive plan that expands drilling. A 60-day comment period on the proposed plan will begin on November 24.
The new plan calls for expanded drilling in 21 areas off the coast of Alaska, the Gulf, and the California coast. It also includes controversial drilling plans in the eastern Gulf off the coast of Florida, referred to as a new administrative planning area, the “South-Central Gulf of America.” In total, the new plan opens approximately 1.27 billion acres to drilling.
Polling indicates Americans prefer protections for coastal waters over drilling, with two-thirds of American voters supporting protections for U.S. coastlines from new offshore drilling. Elected officials on both sides of the aisle have also opposed offshore drilling in California and Florida. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said expanded offshore drilling off the state’s coasts is “dead on arrival,” while Florida Gov. Ren DeSantis signed an executive order opposing “all off-shore oil and gas activities off every coast in Florida.”
Offshore drilling is a risky practice that threatens coastal waters, ecosystems, and economies. Mishaps can result in spills that take years and billions of dollars to clean up. Even project development can be disastrous for imperiled wildlife, like the critically endangered Rice’s whale.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Loren Blackford released the following statement:
“Donald Trump and Doug Burgum are once again trying to sell out our coastal communities and our public waters in favor of corporate polluters’ bottom line. Americans across the political spectrum have made it clear they oppose offshore drilling. We know the risks are far too great, threatening ecosystems and coastal economies with the risk of spills that would take decades to clean up.
“Despite overwhelming bipartisan opposition, Trump and Burgum are moving forward with their reckless plan to serve their ultimate goal of handing over our public lands and waters to Big Oil CEOs. These lease sales are privatization in everything but name – a ‘keep out’ sign is the same whether an area was sold or leased. The Sierra Club will continue to stand with coastal communities and work to stop this reckless plan dead in the water.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.