The battle for offshore drilling has begun

The current administration has promised to pursue a policy of “energy dominance” the current fuel production is already high that it’s driving down prices, it would make us questioned why do we need to start offshore drilling?

January 4, 2018, the Trump administration opened most of the US Coastal waters for oil and gas drilling. It is the most ambitious lease sales. Removing the current rules that make 94 percent of these waters of limits to drilling.  Florida is the only state that received an exemption from the plan.

Twenty-two senators across 12 states have signed a letter asking to have their states exempt from the new drilling plan proposal. It is now an odd coalition we are going to see between the governors of those states and environmental groups to try to protect their coastal regions from drilling.

By giving Florida the exemption, the Trump administration has given a leverage for other states to claim the exemption. It should also reduce the initial plan to have 47 new offshore blocks available for lease sales.

Everyone remembered the crude oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico eight years ago, it was an epic disastrous Deepwater Horizon oil spills. The residue is still lingering on beaches in the Southeast, also environmental experts have warned of the inadequacy in the regulations to prevent future accidents.

Per the Interior Department it could make 98 percent of undiscovered offshore oil and gas within the reach of the Oils companies.

It could continue to give victories for the Oil companies that are interested in drilling in coastal areas. It also followed of favorable tax policy and environmental deregulation that were on those companies wishlist.

It is just the beginning of the battle between the states and the trump administration, we need to see how it is going to unfold.