The Trump administration on Thursday announced new oil and gas drilling off California’s and Florida’s coasts, setting the stage for a political showdown – including with Sunshine state Republicans who have largely opposed petroleum development in the Gulf of Mexico.
This announcement comes as the US petroleum industry, despite contending with low crude prices, has been pushing for an entree to additional offshore drilling areas. The industry’s move for increased access also marks an effort to increase jobs and US energy independence, according to the Associated Press.
The federal government has prohibited offshore drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, which extends from Florida shores to portions of Alabama, since 1995. The ban stemmed from worries about potential oil spills.
While California does have some offshore oil development, there have not been new leases in federal waters for nearly 30 years, the AP said.
A proposed schedule for petroleum leasing in federal waters includes up to 34 auctions from 2026 to 2031; these auctions include up to six sales off California’s coastline, 21 off of Alaska’s coastline, and two in the Gulf of Mexico’s eastern portion, Politico said. The sales in Alaska would reportedly include a region that has never had oil drilling.
The move reflects Trump’s dogged efforts to roll back former president Joe Biden’s efforts against global heating. Trump has described climate change as “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world”, and launched a National Energy Dominance Council to boost domestic energy production, with an emphasis on fossil fuels, AP noted.
Trump has simultaneously thwarted renewable energy development including offshore windfarms. His administration has also axed billions in green energy grants, the AP said.
California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, a Trump foe weighing a presidential run, rejected offshore drilling expansion, calling it “dead on arrival”.
Offshore oil development has faced bipartisan opposition in Florida, where unblemished beaches and sparkling waters underpin the state’s $131bn tourism industry.
Senator Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, dissuaded Trump from offshore drilling plans in 2018. He and his fellow Republican Florida senator, Ashley Moody, co-sponsored a bill that would maintain a ban on drilling.
“As Floridians, we know how vital our beautiful beaches and coastal waters are to our state’s economy, environment and way of life,” Scott said in a statement earlier this month. “I will always work to keep Florida’s shores pristine and protect our natural treasures for generations to come.”
