WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, President Joe Biden took executive action to help protect the Atlantic and Pacific coasts from offshore oil and gas drilling, issuing an executive order to put a permanent stop to new oil and gas drilling across U.S. coastal and offshore waters in an area that spans about 625 million acres.  President-elect Donald Trump then stated he plans to “unban it immediately” and reverse President Biden's ban on offshore drilling.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed strongly supports President Biden’s move to permanently protect the East Coast, West Coast, and eastern Gulf of Mexico, and certain areas off the coast of Alaska from offshore oil and gas drilling.  Reed vowed to use legislative tools to help uphold the ban, which was issued under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. 

For years, Senator Reed has sought to protect Rhode Island waters from offshore oil and gas drilling, cosponsoring the Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism (COAST) Anti-Drilling Act (S. 617) to permanently ban offshore oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic Ocean. Today, Senator Reed stated:

“This is great news for Rhode Islanders, coastal communities, and everyone who enjoys clean water and pollution-free beaches.  I commend President Biden for drawing a line in the sand to protect our environment, economy, and American fishing, tourism, and outdoor recreation industries for generations to come.

“We don’t want an oil spill washing up on local beaches, jeopardizing marine life, seashores, and people’s livelihoods. 

“Unfortunately, President Trump has signaled a willingness to drill off our coast at the behest of wealthy special interests, even if it risks pollution that could threaten our coastal communities and marine resources.  President Biden’s action will make it harder for the incoming administration to sell out coastal communities and I will use every legislative tool available to protect the people of Rhode Island.”

The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act has been tested in court and withstood a previous legal challenge in 2019 when a federal court denied the Trump Administration’s attempt to unwind an Obama Administration withdrawal of areas for offshore oil and gas drilling near Alaska.