President Obama bans oil drilling in large areas of Atlantic and Arctic oceans

Washington Post ^ | Dec. 20, 2016 | Darryl Fears and Juliet Eilperin

[Innovative]

President Obama moved to solidify his environmental legacy Tuesday by withdrawing hundreds of millions of acres of federally owned land in the Arctic and Atlantic Ocean from future offshore oil and gas drilling. Obama used a little-known law called the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to protect large portions of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas in the Arctic and a string of canyons in the Atlantic stretching from Massachusetts to Virginia from oil exploration and the potential for spills.

[Flag_This]

Gee, I wonder why the little kenyan bitch did that...

[Forward the Light Brigade]

Soon he will be seen as, as mad as Carlotta.

[Castigar]

Why can’t Trump simply undo this?

[5th MEB]

MacArthur Park in Los Angeles.

[Lazamataz]

If it comes down to it, Trump can just treat this law the exact same way that Obama has treated so so so many of our laws he was under oath and obligation to enforce and did not. After all, the precedent was set. Trump's Administration can simply ignore it and let anybody drill. Just like Obama ignores our border and the Illegal invaders.

PERFECT.

Larry, this goes to Team Trump.

[Lazamataz]

Here's a map of the withdrawls. Seems like there's a lot of room still.

[QualityMan]

All of his bluster, and eight years, and all he can claim for his legacy is some enviroweenie nonesene that will be negated by the end of January

He wanted so bad to be the president who killed the 2nd amendment. What he got was exactly squat for a legacy

History will judge him harshly.

[Lazamataz]

The Arctic withdrawl, however, is nearly 100% comprehensive.

[SoFloFreeper]

Don’t know what his purpose is...not good.

[fivecatsandadog]

Obama knows this. He’s deliberately being a punk pain in the butt.

[Jim Robinson]

Trump should open up drilling under the soggy bottoms of D.C. The stuff that drains off that swamp is 100 octane. ~~Apologies to Pogo

[FReepaholic]

...He really does hate America...

Yes, he does. And you should watch this documentary that explains why:

2016: Obama's America

[Secret Agent Man]

just issue one.

every executive order by barack obama is hereby officially revoked.

[Salvation]

Trump will hopefully cancel this EO.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Step 1. Get nominee on SCOTUS.
Step 2. Trump’s solicitor goes in front of SCOTUS.
Step 3. Trump wins....again.
Step 4. Drill Baby Drill

[P-Marlowe]

The law (an older law) on which Obama acted says the ban is permanent. Whether or not the law is constitutional is up for argument. I doubt it would stand up to a challenge by Trump, but the law as written allows the ban to be permanent.

Wrong. 43 U.S.C. 1341(a) does not give any president the authority to "permanently" remove any area from consideration for oil drilling leases. Read the statute:

§1341. Reservation of lands and rights
(a) Withdrawal of unleased lands by President The President of the United States may, from time to time, withdraw from disposition any of the unleased lands of the outer Continental Shelf.

Notice the words "may" and "from time to time". Any removal of land is only good as long as that president or the next president doesn't undo it. The law simply gives the president the power to issue a temporary executive order.

Obama may call it permanent and the press might call it permanent, but Trump can undo it on day one.

I'm an attorney. I do this stuff for a living.

[Blood of Tyrants]

obastard thinks that he is god and his word is final. What a narcissistic asshole.

[DoughtyOne]

Once again the pres__ent _resident nine year old exercises a feat of futility.

Trump will strike these down the first week.

The nation’s record books will read, “Obama who?”

[pstwwl]

Everyone is saying that Trump can easily undo this. Don’t be so sure of that. Many of these laws are written in such a way that the president can issue new regulations or restrictions, but it takes an act of Congress to undo the restriction or regulation.

[Innovative]

Thanks for the good news based on reliable info and the law.