GOP states, oil lobbying group sue White House over offshore drilling restrictions
Share and Follow


The primary lobbying group representing the fossil fuel industry joined five Republican attorneys general Friday in a lawsuit challenging restrictions on offshore drilling announced in the waning days of the Biden administration.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) joined Mississippi, Alaska, Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia in suing over the restrictions, which closed off several million acres to new drilling.

The plaintiffs sued in the Western District of Louisiana, which previously granted an injunction in 2022 against one of President Biden’s first acts in the White House, a freeze on new gas and oil leasing on federal lands. All of the states involved in the Friday lawsuit were plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the leasing freeze as well.

“Today we’re taking action to reverse this politically motivated decision and ensure our nation’s vast offshore resources remain a critical source of affordable energy, government revenue and stability around the world,” API Senior Vice President and General Counsel Ryan Meyers said in a statement. “As we move forward with a legal challenge, we continue to urge Congress and the incoming administration to use every tool at their disposal to restore a pro-American energy approach to federal leasing.”

Trump will almost certainly separately seek to undo the restrictions after his inauguration Monday, suggesting as much shortly after the Biden administration announced the move.

However, any move by the White House is likely to trigger a court fight with environmental advocacy groups, who won a similar fight after Trump sought to undo Obama-era restrictions in his first term. If the plaintiffs secure a favorable ruling in the Friday lawsuit, it may happen on a speedier timeline than Trump’s efforts to undo the restrictions.

The ban on new drilling was one of several moves by the Biden administration in its final weeks to secure environmental protections, including the establishment of a new national monument in California.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

Mystery over 2,000-year-old shipwreck with ‘world’s oldest computer’ that inspired Indiana Jones as boat finally raised

THE mystery deepens around the famous shipwreck that held the 2,000-year-old relic…

Woman, 26, dies after falling down flight of stairs at city centre bar on way to toilet with a friend

A 26-YEAR-OLD woman has died after falling down a flight of stairs…

Khanna planning to subpoena Epstein estate for 'birthday book'

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said he plans to subpoena the estate of…

‘Unparalleled Bravery’: Stars and Public Figures Honor the Iconic Wrestler Hulk Hogan

Hogan, born Terry Gene Bollea, suffered a possible “cardiac arrest” at his…

Hulk Hogan’s ‘Emotional’ Last Moments: Friends Stunned by Unexpected Passing, Share Deathbed ‘Heartbreak’

Hulk Hogan was already ‘heartbroken’ months before his fatal cardiac arrest at…

Jazz Icon Chuck Mangione Passes Away at 84

Legendary Jazz musician Chuck Mangione, who rose to prominence in the 1960s, as a…

Gabbard Responds to Critics Dismissing New Russia Collusion Hoax Documents

In an interview on Wednesday with conservative commentator and podcast host Charlie Kirk,…

Ten children as young as 2 ‘held captive in bunker for 3 years as they were sexually tortured with animal shock collars’

TEN children were allegedly held captive in an underground storm bunker and…