President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to find new ocean expanses in the Atlantic and the Arctic for offshore drilling isn’t likely to reach its goals anytime soon, but instead will kick off a yearslong review and legal battle.
Trump signed the order Friday aimed at dismantling a component of former President Barack Obama’s environmental legacy.
“This executive order starts the process of opening offshore areas to job-creating energy exploration,” he said, adding it would create jobs and help wean dependence on foreign oil.
Nonetheless, U.S. oil imports have declined in recent years as domestic production has boomed. And experts question Trump’s authority to reverse established restrictions, saying the question likely will be decided in the courts.
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