The Trump Administration is putting the offshore drilling plan on hold after a setback in court: NPR

The Trump administration is postponing controversial plans to expand oil and gas drilling off the country's coastline following a recent court failure and several months of rest from coastal communities.

Last month, a federal judge in Alaska said that President Trump had overstepped his authority by signing a decree to lift Obama's ban on oil and gas drilling in parts of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans.

The decision immediately reinstated these protections and dealt a blow to the administration's efforts to boost oil and gas development across the country.

Although the Trump administration is supposed to appeal the decision, a resolution could be very distant. This makes it difficult to know where new oil leases could possibly be allowed.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, published Thursday, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt confirmed that his agency could wait for the court proceedings to proceed before moving forward with the project. open more than 90% of all federal waters off hydrocarbon and gas lease.

"By the time the court has decided it may compromise our plan," Bernhardt told the newspaper.

Last year, the Trump administration announced that it would allow the leasing of offshore oil and gas in almost all of the country's coastal waters. The proposal was immediately criticized by environmental groups and governors' offices along the east and west coasts.

Even some Republican lawmakers joined the reaction.

Everyone had been waiting for months for a new version of the plan, which was expected at any time.. But in his confirmation hearing last month, Bernhardt told legislators that the plan was still in its infancy.

His interview with the Wall Street Journal was the first in his history since he had been confirmed as the country's best steward of land and seemed to have put the proposal on hold for an indefinite period.

"Given the court's recent decision, the ministry is simply evaluating all of its options to determine the best way forward to fulfill the mission entrusted to it by the president," the spokesman said. Inside, Molly Block, in an email.

Critics of the plan celebrate the delay.

"This decision is the result of constant pressure from coastal communities, environmental groups and elected officials who have made it clear that offshore oil and gas drilling is dangerous, undesirable and a threat to our economy and way of life." , said Virginia Democratic. Congressman Joe Cunningham in a statement.

Jacqueline Savitz, Policy Manager at Oceana, says she is encouraged by the move. "But as long as the Trump plan is not final, the president is ready to open our shores at any time."