The Trump administration plans to auction offshore oil drilling leases along parts of the U.S. coast starting in 2026. This proposal includes areas off New England, the Carolinas, and California. Currently, there are no active oil leases on the Atlantic coast, and California hasn’t issued a new lease since 1984.
Recently, the Department of the Interior announced its intention to open 1.56 million acres in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas leasing. This decision reverses previous restrictions by the Biden administration and has sparked strong criticism from Democrats. Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts called it “donor dominance,” suggesting it benefits the fossil fuel industry rather than the public.
The Department of Interior is assessing new leases as part of its five-year National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. Under previous administrations, the number of new leases has varied significantly. The Biden team issued the fewest leases on record—only three—while Trump’s push for new leases faced backlash, especially from coastal states like Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Documents reviewed show several states oppose offshore drilling, citing environmental and economic risks. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, from both political parties, have voiced strong opposition. They argue that coastal municipalities unanimously stand against it.
In a historical context, offshore drilling has been contentious for decades. A congressional moratorium was in place from 1981 to 2008, and various presidents have intervened to restrict drilling in sensitive areas, especially after incidents like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
As the Department prepares to publish its proposal soon, public opinion is crucial. A previous comment period attracted over 34,000 responses. The success of the current proposal will depend heavily on stakeholder engagement and public sentiment regarding the potential risks posed by offshore drilling.
For more in-depth insights, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) provides information on offshore drilling trends and statistics, which can help understand the broader implications of this policy shift.
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Trump Administration, Oil and Gas, United States Department of the Interior
