Trump's Offshore Drilling Reversal Sparks Legal Showdown

President Donald Trump has revoked a ban on new offshore oil and gas development, previously set by Joe Biden, across primarily U.S. coastlines. This move could lead to legal battles regarding presidential authority to overturn environmental actions, as highlighted by an unsettled legal precedent.

President Donald Trump, in a contentious executive order signed Monday, has repealed a ban established by Joe Biden on offshore oil and gas development along most U.S. coastlines. This decision is expected to provoke legal challenges questioning Trump's authority to reverse such environmental measures.

Biden, in an environmental protection effort, had invoked the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to prevent drilling in federal waters across significant U.S. coastal areas. Trump, fulfilling a longstanding pledge to expand energy resources, removed these restrictions on his first day in the new administration.

Legal experts are currently debating the extent of presidential power to revoke previous executive actions under the OCSLA. Trump's reversal could emulate past legal disputes, particularly a canceled case from his first tenure, and is likely to result in a fresh court battle initiated by environmental groups.

(With inputs from agencies.)