Trump administration plans to expand offshore drilling Image By EPN Staff Key Points The Trump administration is proposing a dramatic expansion of offshore oil and gas leasing, with 34 lease sales planned from 2026–2031, compared to just three proposed under the Biden administration. Offshore energy development is positioned as a tool for affordability, reliability, and deficit reduction, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs, billions in labor income, and substantial federal and state revenues. The proposal reflects a broader shift toward energy dominance and resource development, aligning with Trump-era executive orders and drawing praise from energy policy advocates who criticized prior restrictions. Amid concerns about energy affordability and grid reliability, the Trump administration has proposed a solution: expand offshore drilling. Under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) must prepare regular, five-year outlines for oil and gas lease sales on the U.S. outer continental shelf (OCS). President Donald Trump’s latest proposal, issued by DOI in November, plans for 34 offshore oil and gas lease sales from 2026 to 2031: 21 lease sales off the coast of Alaska Six leases of the coast of California; and Seven leases in the Gulf of America. In his final five-year plan, President Joe Biden proposed just three offshore drilling leases. Why It Matters In fiscal year 2024, OCS energy development resulted in: 266,000 jobs; $19.5 billion in labor income; and $62.3 billion in economic output. “By moving forward with the development of a robust, forward-thinking leasing plan, we are ensuring that America’s offshore industry stays strong, our workers stay employed and our nation remains energy dominant for decades to come,” said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in a statement. Offshore drilling may also help reduce the federal budget deficit. According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, offshore oil and gas leasing, exploration and production have been the biggest producers of oil from federal lands. Over the last two decades, offshore production on these lands has generated nearly $150 billion in total revenue for the U.S. government, coastal states and their parishes and counties. Experts praised the Trump administration’s plan. “The Biden administration was openly antagonistic to unleashing America’s energy resources and bragged about restricting lease sales,” said Competitive Enterprise Institute Center for Energy and Environment Director Daren Bakst. “The Trump administration … move sends a clear signal that affordable and reliable energy will be embraced rather than attacked.” Additional details The public has until Jan. 23, 2026, to comment on the Trump administration’s proposal. As the public comment notice states, the plan for offshore drilling fulfills promises Trump made in executive orders released after his January inauguration. Those orders stated it is “in the national interest to unleash America’s affordable and reliable energy and natural resources” and it is the policy of the Trump administration “to encourage energy exploration and production on Federal lands and waters … in order to meet the needs of our citizens and solidify the United States as a global energy leader long into the future.” SUGGESTED STORIES Oil and tech firms expand partnerships to boost efficiency and safety Oil and gas producers are forming new partnerships with major technology firms to integrate artificial intelligence, automation and advanced data analytics across their operations. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) recently entered a strategic agreement with Mi Read more U.S. power generation moves toward record levels as gas and renewables expand New federal energy data shows that U.S. electricity generation continues to rise toward record levels as natural gas and renewable sources continue to grow side by side. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the country consumed about 4,322 Read more Wind projects in limbo under Trump The Trump Administration has terminated on- and offshore wind projects in a dozen states, as it remains critical of wind, a low energy-density, intermittent energy source. One such project, the 231-turbine Lava Ridge Wind Project, would have sp Read more
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