Former
Donald Trump announced a major offshore oil drilling expansion plan by the Department of the Interior, proposing 34 lease sales through 2031 to increase US oil production.
The plan includes new leases off California, Alaska’s High Arctic, and the eastern Gulf of Mexico, reversing previous bans and expanding drilling in sensitive coastal areas. Opponents such as Governor Ron DeSantis and Governor Gavin Newsom criticize the plan for environmental risks and threats to tourism and local economies, while the Department of the Interior defends it as bolstering energy dominance.