Washington, D.C. — Today, President Joe Biden, under Section 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, withdrew more than 625 million acres of U.S. ocean from future oil and gas leasing, protecting the entire Atlantic coast the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and parts of the Pacific coast and the Northern Bering Sea. In response, Jenny Rowland-Shea, director for Public Lands at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
The Biden administration is answering the call to protect the ocean and the people living along its coast from the dangers of offshore drilling. We applaud this decision to safeguard the coastal communities and economies of the East Coast, eastern Gulf of Mexico, West Coast, and Alaska—putting people ahead of the whims of special interests. Shoreline communities deserve to live free from the specter of oil spills and air pollution, and this action accomplishes that mission for millions of Americans. From subsistence communities to a healthy fishing economy and a booming tourism industry, this decision supports more prosperous coastlines and a greener future for all Americans.
For more information or to speak to an expert, contact Sam Hananel at [email protected].