Citing environmental and economic costs that outweigh the benefits of “limited fossil fuel production,” the Biden Administration banned offshore drilling in several areas of U.S. waters.

The ban announced Jan. 6 would stop oil and gas leasing off entire East Coast; the eastern Gulf of Mexico; the Pacific off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California; and additional portions of the Northern Bering Sea in Alaska.

“With these withdrawals, President Biden is protecting coastal communities, marine ecosystems, and local economies – including fishing, recreation, and tourism – from oil spills and other impacts of offshore drilling,” the White House’s statement reads.

The ban would not affect the central and western parts of the Gulf of Mexico, where most U.S. offshore oil and gas production takes place.

President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office Jan. 20, called the ban “ridiculous” on Fox News and said he would “unban it immediately.”

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