Obama bans future oil leases in much of Arctic, Atlantic
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The oil-drilling rig Polar Pioneer was towed toward a dock in Elliott Bay in Seattle in May 2015. President Barack Obama today designated the bulk of U.S.-owned waters in the Arctic Ocean and certain areas in the Atlantic Ocean as indefinitely off limits to future oil and gas leasing.
President Barack Obama today designated the bulk of U.S.-owned waters in the Arctic Ocean and certain areas in the Atlantic Ocean as indefinitely off limits to future oil and gas leasing.
The move helps put some finishing touches on Obama’s environmental legacy while also testing President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to unleash the nation’s untapped energy reserves.
The White House announced the actions in conjunction with the government of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, which also placed a moratorium on new oil and gas leasing in its Arctic waters, subject to periodic review.
Obama is making use of an arcane provision in a 1953 law to ban offshore leases in the waters permanently. The statute says that “the president of the United States may, from time to time, withdraw from disposition any of the unleased lands of the outer Continental Shelf.”
Environmental groups hope the ban, despite relying on executive powers, will be difficult for future presidents to reverse. The White House said it’s confident the president’s directive will withstand legal challenge and said the language of the statute provides no authority for subsequent presidents to “unwithdraw” waters from future lease sales.
The Atlantic waters placed off limits to new oil and gas leasing are 31 canyons stretching off the coast of New England south to Virginia.
The administration cited environmental concerns to justify the moratorium. The president also issued a statement noting the minimal level of fuel production occurring in the Arctic. Obama said just 0.1 percent of offshore crude production came from the Arctic in 2015, and at current oil prices, significant production would not occur in future decades.
“That’s why looking forward, we must continue to focus on economic empowerment for Arctic communities beyond this one sector,” Obama said.
Still, industry officials objected to Obama’s proclamation, calling it “last minute political rhetoric.”
“Instead of building on our nation’s position as a global energy leader, today’s unilateral mandate could put America back on a path of energy dependence for decades to come,” said Dan Naatz of the Independent Petroleum Association of America.
In issuing a permanent ban, Obama appears to be trying to tie the hands of his successor. Trump has vowed a domestic energy revolution and is filling his Cabinet with nominees deeply opposed to Obama’s environmental and climate change actions.
Environmental groups were calling for a permanent ban even before the presidential election, but Trump’s victory has provided greater urgency for them and for businesses that rely on tourism and fishing. Trump has said he intends to use all available fuel reserves for energy self-sufficiency — and that it’s time to open up offshore drilling.
This decision will help protect existing lucrative coastal tourism and fishing businesses from offshore drilling, which promises smaller, short-lived returns and threatens coastal livelihoods,” said Jacqueline Savitz, a senior vice president at the advocacy group, Oceana. “The people of the Atlantic coast refused to allow their way of life to be compromised and we commend their hard work making their voices heard in Washington.”
Associated Press writers Josh Lederman in Washington and Jason Dearen in Gainesville, Florida, contributed to this report.
22 responses to “Obama bans future oil leases in much of Arctic, Atlantic”
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trump will cancel this…he hates the environment
@ allie aka treehugger…yes President DJT will so America will be energy independent and not be dependent on O’s bros in the ME.
Get over your LANDSLIDE LOSS.
January 20, 2017 #MAGA
hahaha, Exectutive Power! baby! Allie go work on China, haven’t you read the News yet? lol
He may cancel this but to say that he hates the environment is absolutely not true. Did you aspire to being a liar when you were a young boy?
here hear. so True that Allie spoke/wrote like a typical Democrat. Trump is not even in office and he/she be putting out those false/fake news!
Man, you libertards/Democratic followers still can’t accept what the Democratic Party is all about. The lies, fake news, the cheating, the … and they say anything to get elected into office.
Agree.
All the hacking cr@p distraction to cover up the DEM DESPICABLE LYING & DISHONESTY! WikiLeaks exposed the TRUTH…FINALLY!
January 20, 2017 #MAGA
There he goes again, he just can’t help himself. Another toothless executive order from little Barry Hussein. With Rick Perry as Sec’y of Energy and Scott Pruitt as the new EPA guy common sense will return to DC.
This guy didn’t know the three branches of government. Nice appointment. We all can just wait for another BP oil spill. Just a matter of time.
Fools don’t understand Exxon and US oil don’t want the consumer to pay less. We dont depend on ME oil, it’s the in between billionaires that make money. The CEOS of Exxon, etc. DO not want to sell cheap gas. They have other billionaire shareholders that demand $$$ too. So yes, higher gas prices mean more profit.
It is nonsense and wishful thinking for environmental groups and the White House to say or suggests the ban will be difficult for future presidents to reverse and withstand legal challenges because the language of the statute provides no authority for subsequent presidents to “un-withdraw” waters from future lease sales. It also does not say that decisions, once made, are irreversible nor does it say the withdrawals can be made permanent. The authority granted to the president to withdraw gives the president the implied power to “un-withdraw,” and it will happen on or soon after 20 January 2017.
laws are usually limited in construction to the fair import of the words, taken in their usual sense and can not be extended by analogy to create or imagine limitations not mentioned in the law.
while the statute allows the president to withdraw from disposition unleased lands of the outer continental shelf, the statute does not restrict the president or any future president from returning unleased lands of the outer continental shelf to bid for oil exploration.
jan.20.2017, at 1600 hrs, would be a good time to rescind this poorly planned attack on the energy independence and security of the u.s.
love to see if naysayers to oil drilling are willing to forgo electricity, traveling by automobiles gas or electric, eating only raw foods grown or caught by their own hands and wearing only clothes that were never commercially processed.
drilling sites need to be opened to avoid having the u.s. dependent on foreign oil until solar, wind or natural gas industries are capable of providing 100% of the u.s. power needs.
Many of these nay sayers of US oil independence are probably the same ones driving electric cars without photo voltaic system in their home. We are an island state, so far most of the electricity produced here are from imported fossil fuels.
I never thought I’d say this, but President Obama can’t leave office soon enough. Besides last minute executive orders, he pardons a bunch of convicted drug dealers like their crimes don’t/didn’t harm people.
Off topic but I notice the Islamic terrorist attack on innocent civilians in Berlin disappeared down the SA memory hole pretty fast. Yes, I know the original article can still be found on the site but you have to dig deep to find it. Barry Hussein’s outright refusal to identify and condemn Islamic terrorism has backfired in a major way. Thankfully Mr. Trump and like minded adults will soon be running the show.
What’s astonishing is that Obama wants a 30% increase of refugees for FY ’17 to 110,000. Instead of negotiating with our Arab allies to absorb these people who don’t believe in our constitution but Sharia Law instead like they do, he welcomes them with open arms putting our own people at risk from infiltrated barbarian butchers. His entire Middle East policy has been nothing but a complete and utter failure for the past 8 years. He doesn’t even have the cojones to say the word “Christmas” because it contains “Christ” in it, but he blames everyone & everything else for his 3rd term candidate’s defeat.
He’s Not Done Yet!
Barry is going to make as much Trouble for President Elect Trump as Possible! It’s already starting. Unlike GW Bush who allowed for a smooth transisition to the POTUS,but No, not this guy. A totally different animal!
He’s not done,he’s got 31 more days left,so buckle up! IMUA
Agreed, and look what a Lady Laura Bush is compared to Michelle who’s bad mouthing the newly elected??? No taste, no etiquette, just a trash talker from Chicago!!
MO no class & good riddance!
Just wanted to say a heartfelt Thank You to all of you who have made me think this year and in some cases, changed my thinking. I wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a great New Year.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8ep98ppi5gm82ss/IMG_4002.jpg?dl=0
Obama should have spent his Christmas vacation in Chicago instead of Hawaii. Why is he worrying about banning oil exploration in the Arctic or commutting prison sentences for drug dealers and distributors who harm many people when the Chicago murder rate, often African Americans murdering other African Americans, is sky high and is or close to the highest in the nation? Instead of playing golf, hiking and dining at expensive restaurants in Hawaii why doesn’t he use the power as President to help reduce the murder rate and get Chicago citizens to work with their police department to bring back law and order in Chicago? Seems Chicago needs the Obamas way more than spending time in Hawaii. He can still play golf and workout in Chicago, and Bobby T and Greg can fly out to Illinois to meet him there.
About 15 years ago, the mantra was NO WAR for OIL. What happen now to change that, its Global Warming (Climate change)is more a national danger. LOL what a joke these green nuts are now.