Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the United States Outer Continental Shelf From Oil and Natural Gas Leasing

Presidential Document Memorandum
Signed by President Joseph Biden

Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf From Oil and Natural Gas Leasing

On January 6, 2025, a presidential memorandum was issued to withdraw specific areas of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf from oil and natural gas leasing. This decision aims to protect marine and coastal environments, address climate change, and promote renewable energy development. The withdrawal applies to designated areas in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, and Pacific regions, and is effective indefinitely. Existing leases in these areas remain unaffected.

  • The memorandum was issued on January 6, 2025, and published in the Federal Register on January 17, 2025.
  • It withdraws certain areas of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf from oil and natural gas leasing.
  • The decision is based on environmental protection, climate change mitigation, and renewable energy development.
  • Affected areas include the North Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, Straits of Florida, and parts of the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific regions.
  • The withdrawal is indefinite and prevents future leasing for exploration, development, or production.
  • Existing leases in the withdrawn areas are not impacted by this memorandum.

Summary last updated: January 18, 2025

Original Text
Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 11 (Friday, January 17, 2025) [Federal Register Volume 90, Number 11 (Friday, January 17, 2025)] [Presidential Documents] [Pages 6743-6745] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2025-01464] Presidential Documents Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 11 / Friday, January 17, 2025 / Presidential Documents [[Page 6743]] Memorandum of January 6, 2025 Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the United States Outer Continental Shelf From Oil and Natural Gas Leasing Memorandum for the Secretary of the Interior Consistent with principles of responsible public stewardship, and with due consideration of the irreplaceable marine and coastal environments, including wildlife and wildlife habitat, of the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, and Pacific areas of the Outer Continental Shelf; and independently with due consideration of the vulnerability of these ecosystems and coastal communities, where limited or no oil and natural gas development has yet occurred, to oil spills; and independently with due consideration of the benefits of expeditious and orderly development of the vital renewable energy resources of the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, and Pacific areas of the Outer Continental Shelf; and independently with due consideration of the national need to curtail, mitigate, build resilience against, and adapt to the devastating and irreversible consequences of climate change for the human environment and for the marine and coastal environments, I hereby direct as follows: Under the authority granted to me in section 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. 1341(a), I hereby withdraw from disposition by oil or natural gas leasing for a time period without specific expiration: (a) the areas designated by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management as the North Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Straits of Florida Planning Areas of the Outer Continental Shelf; (b) the areas of the Outer Continental Shelf designated by section 104(a) of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-432); and (c) the areas designated by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management as the Washington/Oregon, Northern California, Central California, and Southern California Planning Areas of the Outer Continental Shelf. The boundaries of the withdrawn areas are more specifically delineated in the attached map. The map forms a part of this memorandum. The withdrawal directed by this memorandum prevents consideration of withdrawn areas for any future oil or natural gas leasing for purposes of exploration, development, or production. [[Page 6744]] Nothing in this withdrawal affects rights under existing leases in the withdrawn areas. (Presidential Sig.) THE WHITE HOUSE, Washington, January 6, 2025 Billing code 3395-F4-P [[Page 6745]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TD17JA25.117 [FR Doc. 2025-01464 Filed 1-16-25; 2:00 pm] Billing code 4310-10-C

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