Energy – US government does not rule out new offshore drilling – Economy

Washington (AFP) – According to media reports, the government of US President Joe Biden is not ruling out new drilling for oil and gas off the US coast.

A plan presented by the Department of the Interior provides for the possibility of drilling mainly in the Gulf of Mexico – but also off the coast of Alaska, as unanimously reported by the US media. The Ministry of Interior’s five-year plan is required by law. It includes the development of new oil and gas fields off the coast of the United States.

However, the ministry’s proposals also include the possibility of dispensing with the so-called new offshore drilling. It also proposes potential auctions for exploration rights in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore Alaska. The plan exempts public waters on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts from drilling.

The Washington Post reported that Home Secretary Deb Haaland stressed that the plan was not final. The newspaper said the plan narrows areas eligible for oil and gas leases compared to the 2018 plan proposed under former President Donald Trump.

By the end of the decade, the US actually wants to cut greenhouse gas emissions at least in half compared to 2005 levels. Just on Thursday, the US Supreme Court erred in Biden’s climate policy and significantly restricted the powers of the Environment Agency. At the same time, Biden is under pressure due to the country’s high energy prices.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 220702-99-881953 / 2