The US government wants to expand oil and gas drilling in the sea off the states of California, Florida and Alaska. This was announced by US Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, on Thursday, according to the news agencies AP and AFP.
A total of 34 new lease fields will be offered, covering a total ocean area of 500 million hectares. This corresponds to an area the size of the Amazon rainforest, writes AFP.
The plan includes drilling in waters off the north coast of Alaska, where drilling has never been done before. According to Doug Burgum, the government wants to future-proof the United States with fossil energy.
- By moving forward with the development of a robust, forward-looking leasing plan, we ensure that America's offshore industry remains strong. We are also ensuring that our workers remain employed and that our nation remains dominant when it comes to energy for decades to come, the interior minister said, according to AFP.
The United States has called for more drilling
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for more drilling for oil and gas. At the same time, he has been critical of offshore wind turbines and other green forms of energy.
In recent years, several countries around the world have been trying to transition away from polluting fossil fuels in an attempt to combat climate change. Trump has often referred to climate change as a hoax.
The government's plan to expand oil and gas drilling is being met with resistance, especially from California, where the state government has said it will block drilling in the waters off California. Gavin Newsom, the state's governor, is critical of the plan.
- Californians remember the environmental and economic devastation from past oil spills. For decades, California has stood firm in our opposition to new offshore drilling, and nothing will change that, Newsom said, according to AFP.
The Republican senator from Florida, Rick Scott, also expressed reservations.
- Florida's coasts should not be used for oil drilling, but should be protected for the sake of Florida's tourism, environment and military training opportunities, Rick Scott wrote on the social media X.
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