56 days before the US elections, Donald Trump signs a decree banning oil exploration until 2032, surprising entities in the country
The President of USA (U.S), Donald Trump, signed an order to extend a ban on offshore oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico off Florida's east coast to 2032 as it seeks to build support in the state ahead of elections. The executive order, signed Tuesday, will also expand the ban to Florida's Atlantic coast and the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina.
" It protects your beautiful Gulf and your beautiful ocean, and this will continue for a long time. ", he said Trump in front of the Jupiter Gateway Lighthouse and Museum in Florida after signing the executive order while officials from the three states looked on.
Although the interest in offshore drilling declined with weak oil demand during the new coronavirus pandemic, the order could be reversed by a future president – as Trump tried early in his term.
Trump is not an environmentalist
In 2017, Trump signed an executive order focusing on opening up more areas in the US for offshore oil and gas exploration.
The ex-president Barack Obama in his final days in office he removed millions of acres in the Arctic and Atlantic Ocean from future oil and gas activity, but pro-oil and gas officials hoped the next president would be able to overturn Obama's actions.
On April 28, 2017, President Trump issued Executive Order 13795, which sought to repeal Obama's 2015 and 2016 withdrawals.
Fortunately, or unfortunately – depending on your point of view and interests – Trump's 2017 executive order, revoking his predecessor's ban on oil and gas activity in certain areas of the US Arctic and canyons in the Atlantic Ocean, was deemed illegal. and invalidated by a federal judge in Alaska in late March 2019.
Everything can be an advantage in elections
The Trump administration – which wanted to expand oil and gas exploration in the United States and reversing Obama-era rules on fossil fuel pollution – he originally wanted to expand offshore drilling off many of the US coasts, including Florida.
Proposals to drill in Florida have drawn fierce opposition from tourism, real estate and environmental interests.
The moratorium on drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico was set to expire in 2022. Republican US senator Marco Rubio, of Florida, which has a bill to extend it through 2027, said earlier this year that he hoped Trump would support his proposed extension.
But many believe President Trump's extended ban on Tuesday was nothing more than an attempt to score a few points with voters.
The Washington Post quoted the executive director of the Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund, Kevin S. Curtis " Donald Trump thinks he can trick voters into getting him through four years of environmental failure. It's been a disaster for Floridians, who are paying the price for the climate crisis - rising seas, flooding, algal blooms, supercharged storms and more - with worse to come if Trump takes four more years. ".
Additionally, Politico noted that eight critical states that could influence the 2020 election do Trump's side or Biden it will be Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and, of course, Florida.
A recent NBC/Marista poll showed Trump and Biden tied in Florida, with each garnering the support of 48% of likely voters.
Biden opposes new drilling permits on federal lands and waters. The former vice president said Trump has refused to listen to scientists on climate change and his environmental record has mostly been about scrapping rules about clean air and water and opening up public lands for drilling.
On Twitter, Biden said: “ A few months ago, Donald Trump planned to allow oil and gas drilling off the coast of Florida.
" Now, with 56 days to go until the election, he conveniently says he has changed his mind. Unbelievable. You don't have to guess where I stand: I oppose new offshore drilling ".
Immediately, the National Ocean Industries Association complained that Trump's measure limits domestic energy production and raw materials for plastics, such as those used to protect against the coronavirus.
The president of NOIA, Erik Milito, said: " Our preference should always be to produce American energy locally, rather than defer future production to countries like Russia and Iran that do not share American values. Limiting access to our offshore energy resources only harms America and dulls our national vision. ".
On the other hand, environmentalists like Jaclyn Lopez , a Florida native with the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund, said: “ This desperate political maneuver won't make Floridians forget that Trump was the one who proposed opening up our state to drilling in the first place. ".
