President Joe Biden said on Monday he will lock up the resources of the Outer Continental Shelf, preventing all oil and gas leasing in the future off the shores of Washington, Oregon, and California, and even more the Northern Bering Sea in Alaska.
“In protecting more than 625 million acres of the U.S. ocean from offshore drilling, President Biden has determined that the environmental and economic risks and harms that would result from drilling in these areas outweigh their limited fossil fuel resource potential. With these withdrawals, President Biden is protecting coastal communities, marine ecosystems, and local economies – including fishing, recreation, and tourism – from oil spills and other impacts of offshore drilling,” the White House said.
The statement said the oil and gas from these areas would be negligible compared to the possible harm an oil spill may cause. It also came after Biden’s Department of Energy put strict new rules on gas-powered residential water heaters, which will drive up the costs of the appliances for the majority of Americans.
“Nearly 400 municipalities and over 2,300 elected local, state, Tribal, and federal officials across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts have formally opposed the expansion of offshore drilling in these areas in view of its severe environmental, health, and economic threats. Nearly every Governor along the East and West Coasts – Republicans and Democrats alike – has expressed concerns about expanded oil and gas drilling off their coastlines. In Alaska, the new Northern Bering Sea protections are consistent with a long-standing request from more than 70 coastal Tribes based on the need to help sustain a vital and threatened ocean area, and the natural resources it contains that Indigenous communities have stewarded and relied on for subsistence since time immemorial,” the president said.
Biden’s term as president expires on Jan. 20. Although his act may be undone by President Donald Trump, the authority to undo an order under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act is unclear.
Trump on Monday told the Hugh Hewitt radio show that he will, indeed, undo this action immediately.
“I will unban it immediately. I have the right to unban it,” he said.
Trump continued, saying Americans has “oil and gas at a level that nobody else has and we’re gonna take advantage of it. It’s really our greatest economic asset.”
When Biden’s actions were leaked to Democrat media last week, Congressman Nick Begich issued a searing statement:
“Joe Biden is a son of a bitch. Hundreds of thousands of Alaskans rely on natural gas from the Cook Inlet to heat and electrify their homes, churches, schools, and workplaces. Actions like this should serve as a permanent reminder that the Democrat machine is more than happy to sacrifice us all in the name of their sanctimonious, socialist-driven, climate science™ religion.”
We can’t get him out of office soon enough. In fact I’m all in on an immediate impeachment and let Harris have her 13 days as president. This clown is a devil.
Biden is just an old stooge, a liar, a cheater, a braggard, a story teller of immense proportions. A thief, a plagiarist, a dunce. He’s been that way for his 50 years as a politician. So what else would we expect? Since he wasn’t a legitimately elected president, his ill mind is hellbent on ruining the success of a legitimately elected president. And in the process, he doesn’t care what wake of destruction occurs to our country. A sick, sick sob.
Biden (Obama) has sealed it!They get the award for the worst Leader’s ever in the history of this nation!WELL DONE! You f@ucked our nation!!!
Well let’s hope the smart people don’t listen to that POS Bidum, and continue business as usual I know a better place to put a plug.
Ignore the BAN Biden has no authority to remove anything from drilling. He can Kiss our backsides. Move forward without Federal approval and tell the FEDs to sux it up. If the Tribes oppose it cut off all funding going to them.
Obviously, all of the Democrats (including Daddy’s Little Princess) are the root cause of an impending demise here in AK907. They all represent a “Clear and Present Danger” to … our way of life … our economic prosperity … our future, and all of them should be treated as such.
If this offshore drilling ban sticks, we should be pursuing … Sustina-Watana Dam and SMR (Small Modularized Reactor) means of electrical power generation.
Northern Bering Sea is nowhere near Cook Inlet, Alaska, or the Beaufort Sea for that matter.
Try taking a look at the map in the story. Thank you. – sd
The map depicts all Outer Continental Shelf areas under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Offshore Energy Management (formerly MMS)—that is what the legend says anyway. It does not necessarily address specific areas in which leasing will be prohibited. Looking for whatever the official source document says and will post the link if i find it.
Correct. It shows all the OCS.
That isnt the relevant map, Suzanne.
The relevant map is the one at:
https://www.doi.gov/media/alaska-withdraw-map
In other words, somebody screwed up and showed the a congressman the wrong map. The map I linked is specific to the January 6 withdrawal order. Nothing south of the so-called Bristol Bay lease sale 92 (1988 timeframe) is excluded.
Exactly. Cook Inlet is not included in the ban. Neither is the North Slope or the western half of the Gulf of Mexico. The OCS is 1.7 billion acres, the ban affects 625 million of those. The article implies all OTS drilling was banned, and headline says with certainly this includes Cook Inlet. It does not. As much as I generally enjoy SDs work, this one is sloppy.
Trump will reverse all of it.
I mean, none of us here like oil spills, but to ban all of it? Climate folk are a death cult that thrive on misery.
I am willing to deal with an oil spill much easier to cleanup with the effects lasting not nearly as long or dangerous to life and health as opposed to a nuclear facility accident.
Chernoble is a prime example of a major catastrophic event leaving the entire surrounding area uninhabitable.
Chernobyl was not a nuclear accident.
It was the inevitable outcome of a socialist/central government bureaucracy. Had the engineers and techs running the reactor been allowed to deviate from the centrally dictated script, it would likely have never happened.
.
What happened there is the equivalent of having a member of the Anchorage Assembly with zero actual experience tell the Fire Department what equipment they need to put out a blaze.
.
Nuclear energy can be just as safe as any other form of energy, but the bureaucrats need to leave the techs alone to make sure the system remains safe.
Four years in the White House and the jerk never learned how to salute. What an insult.
His salute is more often formed with his middle finger extended when He is addressing we the peons.
Folks, Remember this action and all those preceding that damaged our individual opportunities to prosper were caused by Democrats. I would plead that you retain this memory for each and every upcoming election no matter the office or position, were a Democrat involved, DO NOT VOTE FOR HE OR SHE, REGARDLESS!!. Each and everyone of this tripe are a danger to you, family and conservative friends.
Cheers, Johnson
I’m generally a supporter of Mr. Begich and voted (x2) for him. However, I unreservedly and without qualification endorse, agree with, and note the accuracy of his statement about President Biden, the need for natural gas in Alaska, and the climate change cult.
Trump should ban all fuel sales in FJB area.
No fossil fuels for him or his family and friends.
Executive orders should be illegal, on both sides.
There was a Texas bumper sticker back during the 70’s oil crisis “Let the bastards freeze in the dark!”
The real lock-up should be Joe Biden, committed to the dementia ward, and put in a posey belt and chains. A domestic terrorist!
Where are our elected leaders?? We’ve suffered a lot of abuse here under this administration and little to nothing is done. Add to this the multitude of lawsuits filed against our fishing industry. Murkowski obviously goes along with it while Dunleavy and Sullivan do nothing. Begich gets vocal upon taking office which is a welcome change.
Agree with you. It was 👍 to read the comments by newly elected Nick Begich.
Hurr should have prosecuted. Biden isn’t competent to make such decisions, clearly, and this one oversteps his authority. We are a Republic and he is not King. (And if it’s his little workers making the decisions behind the scenes for him, then they have some real mental issues as well!)
Congress has a part to play in this as well, the use of the Congressional Review Act was used last time Trump took office to overturn harmful policies that Obama put in effect during the waning days of his previous administration, just as he’s done here.
Trump will need Congressional approval to overturn what Biden has done. Any bets on how Lisa will go on this? We shouldn’t have to ask, but yet here we are.
Lisa needs to be Cheneyed. And it needs to happen soon.
If he is to incompetent to be charged with crimes he clearly committed, every official act from that day forward is invalid as he is to incompetent.
This is a “hate crime” against a whole state which suffers unfulfilled promises of statehood. Rid Alaska of the results of the Antiquity Act and redistribute land as it was stated in Congress for statehood. Trump may be the one president that can see this through for Alaska.
This destructive action by Biden is living proof how utterly bankrupt the democrat party really is. At the very least democrat polices are totally anti-Alaskan. Alaska democrats try to distance themselves from the irrational policies put forth by lower 48 democrats. They don’t seem to have the courage to leave the democrat party and join another one of the many other parties that Alaska has.
….as Biden jets around on Air Force One, consuming tens of thousands of barrels of fuel at taxpayer’s expense.
Vamanos Brandon
“Hundreds of thousands of Alaskans rely on natural gas from the Cook Inlet to heat and electrify their homes, churches, schools, and workplaces.”
Not for much longer, actually. Time to fire up the LNG option folks.
“……..Time to fire up the LNG option folks……….”
Where is that magic gas coming from?
Same place the electricity dog is using to charge up his EV.
Don’t be deceived, the true traitors to America are those working behind the Biden mask. We know the current POTUS is a hollow man; the true traitors should be held for treason.
Cook Inlet is not included.
Nick Begich lll for Senate.
Let’s keep buying electric vehicles whose batteries are predominately made in CHINA. If the car battery catches on fire in your garage your house can burn down before it can be put out. All this endangers the U S economy, the environment, and our firefighters.
Editor: Further clarification indicates that Cook Inlet is not affected by this new ban. Please issue a retraction and/or correction to this story. Misinformation has consequences as we all know, and as was so clearly illustrated on 6 Jan 2021.
We will be watching for your update.
Oh.. now you are the expert on all things?
When did you gain this omniscience? Where did you get this information? From another news outlet?
.
Oh… so from another news outlet. What makes you so 100% sure that other news outlet is not sharing misinformation? Please, tell us all how you alone know what is the true and what is false?