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President Joe Biden is moving to ban new offshore oil and gas drilling in most U.S. coastal waters.
His executive order, which comes two weeks before his presidency ends, is a last-minute effort to block possible action by the incoming Trump administration to expand offshore drilling.
"My decision reflects what coastal communities, businesses and beachgoers have known for a long time: that drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs," Biden said in a statement.
"As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities across the country and we are transitioning to a clean energy economy, now is the time to protect these coasts for our children and grandchildren," he said.