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Wisconsin AG seeks to stop Elon Musk's $1M payments at rally giveaway; Rural advocates urge CA lawmakers to safeguard banking protections; Federal, state job cuts threaten FL workers' rights, services; Alabama counties lack high-speed internet and health access.

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President Trump says there are ways for him to take a third term. New tariffs are scheduled for this week, but economists say they'll hurt buying power. And advocates say the Trans Day of Visibility is made more important by state legislation.

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Rural folks face significant clean air and water risks due to EPA cutbacks, a group of policymakers is working to expand rural health care via mobile clinics, and a new study maps Montana's news landscape.

Conservation groups sue feds to protect coast from offshore drilling

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Tuesday, February 25, 2025   

A coalition of environmental groups is suing the Trump administration to reinstate protections against new offshore drilling.

President Donald Trump revoked a Biden-era order to withdraw from future drilling 625 million acres of ocean off the Pacific, Eastern Gulf, Atlantic and Alaska coasts.

Devorah Ancel, Environmental Law Program senior attorney for the Sierra Club, said only Congress can revoke protections made by presidents under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.

"President Trump revoked Biden's protective withdrawals," Ancel noted. "The law doesn't allow presidents to revoke or cancel withdrawals of previous presidents. Trump's action is illegal under the statute and also violates the Constitution."

Trump claimed more waters should be open for drilling in order to ensure U.S. energy independence. Advocates countered the protections would not affect energy security because much of the Gulf of Mexico is still open to drilling and the U.S. is the largest oil producer in the world. And they said expansion of offshore drilling is too big a threat to the marine ecosystem, and to multibillion-dollar coastal economies.

Joseph Gordon, campaign director for climate and energy for the nonprofit Oceana, said past environmental disasters are proof protections are necessary.

"If you look at the impacts of Deepwater Horizon, offshore drilling is one of the most destructive activities that could ever happen off a coast," Gordon asserted. "That's what's at stake. Wherever there's drilling, there'll be spilling."

A second lawsuit asked the court to uphold Obama-era offshore protections in the Arctic, protections Mr. Trump tried to undo during his first term.

Disclosure: The Sierra Club contributes to our fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Energy Policy, Environment, and Environmental Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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