Earthjustice Responds to Trump Plan to Hold Offshore Oil Sales Through 2040

Today, the Trump administration announced a new schedule to hold 30 offshore oil-and-gas sales in the Gulf of Mexico through 2040, and six sales in Alaska’s Cook Inlet. 

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum cited the recently passed budget reconciliation bill in the the announcement, which also included a decision to defer an offshore oil sale scheduled for December as part of the Biden administration’s 2025-2029 offshore leasing program. 

Despite this announcement, the Trump administration is still obligated to follow the federal offshore leasing process, including preparing environmental analyses and allowing the public an opportunity to weigh-in. 

“There’s no world in which we will allow the Trump administration to hold dozens of oil sales in public waters, putting Americans, wildlife, and the planet in harm’s way, without abiding by the law,” said Earthjustice Oceans attorney Brettny Hardy. “Even with its passage of the worst environmental bill in U.S. history, the Republican-led Congress did not exempt these offshore oil sales from needing to comply with our nation’s environmental statutes. Earthjustice is well-prepared to challenge any violations of the law as the Trump administration attempts to sell off our oceans to the oil industry.” 

The Trump administration’s plan for 30 more massive lease sales over the next 15 years could lead to nearly 10.8 billion tons of additional carbon in our atmosphere, or more than two years of total annual U.S. carbon pollution. This is happening even as the planet becomes increasingly more dangerous from changes in the climate — like extreme heat and weather events — due to the continued burning of fossil fuels.