Ranking Member Huffman Celebrates Biden Action to Protect Oceans and Coasts from Offshore Drilling

WASHINGTON – U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) today issued the following statement on President Biden’s action to use his authority under 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permanently protect unleased and at-risk areas of the outer continental shelf from offshore oil and gas development.

“Today’s action cements President Biden’s historic climate legacy by permanently protecting much of our oceans, coastal communities, and local economies from Big Oil’s long record of exploitation,” said Ranking Member Huffman. “Since day one of his administration, President Biden has understood that facing the climate crisis and protecting Americans demands visionary leadership and bold action. I’m grateful for the historic progress this administration has made both today and over the past four years.

“Importantly, today’s action is Trump-proof; the courts have already defended the 12(a) authority against previous attacks. We know the President-elect will do everything in his power to enact his ‘drill baby drill’ agenda, but fortunately for us all, handing our oceans over to Big Oil billionaires will be off the table.”

BACKGROUND

On Nov. 15, 2024, Ranking Member Huffman joined then-Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), and other congressional Democrats on a letter urging President Biden to use the 12(a) authority to block offshore drilling in unleased and at-risk areas of the outer continental shelf. In their letter, the lawmakers pointed to a determination by the District Court for Alaska in 2017 that 12(a) does not give a president authority to revoke prior withdrawals.

Reps. Grijalva and Pallone also celebrated the announcement today:

“As his administration comes to a close, I’m grateful for the bold, transformative action President Biden has taken to chart a cleaner, safer energy future for all Americans,” said Rep. Grijalva. “The offshore oil and gas industry routinely subjects coastal communities and workers to toxic oil spills and pollution, all while the same communities are bearing the brunt of climate-caused storm surges and flooding. Although there is still work to be done, today’s action to block offshore drilling off the entire East Coast, the eastern Gulf, much of the Pacific, and the Northern Bering Sea is a monumental step in the progress we need to protect communities, the environment, and future generations from climate change.”

“For decades, I’ve fought to protect our shores from those who would sell off our way of life to make a buck from dangerous offshore drilling, and today, that fight has paid off,” said Rep. Pallone. “President Biden’s action ensures that our coasts are permanently off-limits to ‘drill baby, drill’ exploitation. This is a commonsense win for everyone who relies on clean, thriving oceans. Protecting our coastal waters from oil drilling safeguards our fishing and tourism economy and critically-endangered North Atlantic right whales.”

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