Stop New Offshore Drilling in U.S. Waters

Our federal leaders are moving quickly to expand oil and gas drilling off U.S. coasts. The Trump administration’s first salvo was an executive order to repeal the Biden offshore drilling ban that protected a majority of U.S. waters from oil and gas leasing. More recently, the Department of Interior announced it is revising the 5-year offshore drilling plan and will consider all U.S. coastlines for potential oil and gas leasing.

Take action: Tell Congress to stop new offshore oil drilling!

On April 18, 2025, the Department of the Interior launched a process to develop a new 5-Year Offshore Drilling Plan for oil and gas lease sales in U.S. waters. This started a public comment period hosted by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) that ended on June 16. Over 86,000 comments were submitted, the vast majority of them opposing new offshore drilling. These included letters from the Governors of North Carolina and South Carolina (bipartisan together), California, and Oregon, 10 Attorneys General, 46 U.S. Senate and House Democratic Members and two Republicans, over 100 state legislators, more than 20 local resolutions, New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, and the Defense Support Initiatives Community.

Later this year, the Department of Interior will release its 5-year plan proposal which will indicate what areas are being targeted for new oil and gas leasing. According to the Department, all major U.S. coastlines are being considered for new offshore drilling, regardless of whether drilling has previously taken place. This will launch a 60-day comment period for members of the public to provide feedback

The upcoming public comment period is a key opportunity to urge the administration to protect all U.S. waters from offshore drilling.

Federal law requires the agency to consider public input, as well as potential harm on the environment, communities, and the economy. Past experience has shown that inspired public opposition can stop new oil and gas development, even against overwhelming odds. That’s why Surfrider is urging our supporters - along with communities, businesses, and elected officials - to submit official comments against new offshore drilling.

Surfrider Sues the Trump Administration

Surfrider Foundation is flexing its legal muscle to protect U.S. coasts from offshore drilling. On February 19, 2025, Surfrider filed the first environmental lawsuit against the new Trump administration alongside a coalition of conservation organizations represented by Earthjustice. The lawsuit challenges the illegal action to revoke the critical drilling prohibitions. If successful, the suit will restore the offshore drilling ban that was hard-fought and is overwhelmingly supported by communities, businesses, Tribes, and the public.

Surfrider is also taking other legal action to stop new offshore drilling. On March 3, Surfrider and several other groups represented by Earthjustice filed a Motion to Intervene in a lawsuit led by the State of Louisiana and the American Petroleum Institute, challenging former President Biden’s offshore drilling ban. The lawsuit wrongly claims that Biden abused his authority under federal law in protecting sensitive offshore areas from future oil and gas leasing. However, prior administrations, including both Trump administrations, have invoked the same authority to manage public waters. 

On March 23, the Court granted Surfrider and our partners’ Motion to Intervene in the lawsuit, which will allow the groups to contribute legal arguments to defend the Biden offshore drilling ban that protects over 625 million acres of U.S. waters. This case is also important to clarify that once a court throws out President Trump’s executive order reopening coastal waters to offshore drilling, all waters should be protected.

Congress Debates New Offshore Drilling

Congress recently passed a budget reconciliation bill that some are calling one of the worst environmental bills in U.S. history. Despite the U.S. hitting an all-time high of domestic oil production in 2024, the bill requires new drilling across millions of acres in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s Cook Inlet, along with many other provisions to expand fossil fuel development and reduce environmental protections. 

Fortunately, some members of Congress want to protect our environment and communities from the harms of new oil and gas development. House and Senate leaders recently introduced bills to prohibit new offshore oil and gas drilling off the East Coast, West Coast, Florida/ Eastern Gulf and Arctic Ocean. While these bills face a difficult road to passage in the current congress, they reflect the majority viewpoint of the public, as 64% of registered U.S. voters oppose new offshore drilling.

Take action: Tell Congress to stop new offshore oil drilling!