10.08.25
Upcoming Federal Offshore Drilling Plan Threatens Beaches Nationwide: Take Action Now
By Pete StaufferAll U.S. coasts are at risk, and we need your help. Surfrider urges everyone to take action today to protect our ocean, waves, and beaches from the next oil spill!
Take action: Tell Congress to stop new offshore oil drilling!
The current administration is making plans to expand offshore oil and gas drilling, threatening the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Arctic Ocean. This year, the Department of the Interior launched a 5-year offshore drilling plan process to approve new oil and gas leasing in U.S. waters. On October 21, the Houston Chronicle reported that the agency is planning to target the East, West, and Gulf coasts, as well as the Arctic in its forthcoming coming proposal. The Department is expected to release the draft proposal in the coming weeks, which will reveal what specific areas are being targeted for new offshore drilling. This will launch a critical 60-day comment period to gather public feedback.
Federal Court Strikes a Blow Against Ocean Protections
Before leaving office, President Biden took decisive action to protect the East Coast, the West Coast, the eastern Gulf, and portions of Alaska from future oil and gas leasing. However, Louisiana, Alaska, Georgia, Mississippi, and the Gulf Energy Alliance sued to invalidate President Biden’s exercise of his powers to protect our ocean. Surfrider and our partners quickly joined the lawsuit to defend the Biden action. Unfortunately, last week, a federal judge in Louisiana issued a ruling declaring the Biden administration’s offshore drilling ban illegal.
The recent court decision underscores the importance of people raising their voices to oppose offshore drilling!
With U.S. coasts under threat, grassroots advocacy is more important than ever. Surfrider and our partners are organizing communities across the country to oppose federal plans for offshore drilling. Our collective efforts have already generated over 86,000 comments to the federal government, the vast majority against new offshore drilling. Yet, stopping new offshore drilling under the current administration will require an even bigger response in the coming months. That’s why Surfrider is urging the public — along with communities, businesses, and elected officials — to participate in the Department of the Interior’s upcoming 5-year plan comment period.
Surfrider is also mobilizing our supporters to urge Congress to oppose new offshore drilling. Past experience has shown that bipartisan opposition in Congress is the most effective pathway to stopping federal offshore drilling plans. Fortunately, members of the House and Senate have introduced bills to prohibit new offshore drilling off the East Coast, West Coast, Florida/ Eastern Gulf, and Alaska. While these bills face a very difficult road to passage, they reflect the majority viewpoint of the public and are key for demonstrating regional opposition to new drilling in the 5-year plan.
Take action: Tell Congress to stop new offshore oil drilling!
There has never been a more urgent time to speak out against offshore drilling. The offshore drilling ban enacted by the Biden administration was the culmination of decades of grassroots advocacy. With these protections revoked under the current administration, we must all make our voices heard to create the groundswell of grassroots opposition needed to protect our coasts from oil and gas development.
Ways to Take Action
- Contact your congressional representatives: Take Action
- Organize grassroots opposition using our Activist Toolkit
- Donate to support Surfrider’s Drilling is Killing campaign