In a significant last-minute move, President Joe Biden has announced a sweeping ban on new offshore oil and gas drilling across vast areas of U.S. coastal waters, protecting over 625 million acres. This action, taken just weeks before Donald Trump assumes the presidency, aims to safeguard the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and parts of the Northern Bering Sea in Alaska.

Biden stated, “Drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs.” He emphasized the urgency of protecting these regions as the nation transitions to a clean energy economy amidst a climate crisis. The announcement is a direct effort to constrain the Trump administration's potential expansion of offshore drilling, which Trump has avidly supported, vowing to “drill, baby, drill” upon taking office.

The legislation underpinning Biden’s decision involves the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, a 1953 directive that permits presidents to restrict offshore drilling. According to experts, this ban may prove challenging for Trump to reverse without Congress, as a prior court ruling indicated that the authority to cancel such bans is unclear. Instead, reversing this decision could necessitate congressional action, which might not align with Trump's previous attempts to streamline drilling policies.

Trump and his administration have publicly criticized Biden's decision, with Trump's spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, labeling it a "disgraceful decision designed to exact political revenge" on the American public. Trump indicated that he would work towards “unbanning” the drilling the day he is inaugurated.

Environmentalists and industry insiders have reacted variably to the ban. Advocates view it as a crucial victory in the ongoing battle against climate change, highlighting that new oil and gas drilling must be curtailed significantly to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Joseph Gordon, from Oceana, remarked on the importance of listening to coastal communities affected by drilling and noted the economic significance of maintaining healthy marine environments.

Despite the bipartisan contention regarding offshore drilling, it is clear that Biden’s measures aim to secure coastal environments for future generations. As the Biden administration approaches its transition, the retrospective effectiveness of this ban will be scrutinized amid Trump's commitment to reinvigorate U.S. fossil fuel production.

For further details on this developing story, visit CNN.