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The government of Donald Trump announced on Thursday a plan to resume oil drilling off the coasts of Florida and California, a decision that marks the first project of its kind in decades and raises concerns among environmentalists and local authorities.
The plan, revealed by the administration through the Department of the Interior, is part of the "energy dominance" strategy promoted by Trump, which aims to expand domestic fossil fuel production, reported the news agency AP.
According to the proposal, six exploration bids will be held between 2027 and 2030, including areas more than 100 miles off the coast of Florida.
Trump, who in his second term has rolled back numerous environmental regulations implemented by his predecessor Joe Biden, defended the measure as a necessary step to ensure energy security and jobs in the country.
"Our nation will once again be a global leader in energy. No one will do it better than the United States," he said during the presentation of the plan.
The American Petroleum Institute rated the measure as a “historic step” to leverage natural resources and strengthen the national economy.
However, the reaction in Florida and California has been one of strong opposition, emphasized AP.
Republican Senator Rick Scott, an ally of the president and former governor of Florida, reiterated his opposition to drilling in waters near the state: “We know how vital our clean beaches are for the economy and the lives of Floridians. I will do everything possible to keep them safe.”
For his part, California Governor Gavin Newsom, one of the most vocal critics of the president, described the proposal as "dead on arrival" and warned that any new spill would be an environmental and economic disaster.
Coastal ecosystem experts warned that the drilling could jeopardize marine habitats, protected species, and tourism, a key economic pillar in Florida.
Organizations such as Oceana and Greenpeace denounced that the plan "opens the door to a new ecological disaster."
Since his return to the White House, Trump has prioritized the expansion of the traditional energy sector, blocking renewable energy projects, cancelling subsidies for the wind sector, and removing restrictions on mining and natural gas.
The measure, deemed one of the most controversial of its environmental policy, reverses decades of protection along the Florida coastline, where the last exploration was allowed in 1995.
The decision to reactivate oil drilling off the coast of Florida does not occur in a vacuum. It is part of a broader strategy driven by the Trump administration to reposition the United States as an energy power in a volatile global landscape.
Weeks before the announcement, Washington imposed direct sanctions on the major Russian oil companies for operating in conflict zones, a measure that restricts Moscow's access to key international markets.
In parallel, the United States has exerted pressure on Caracas. Analysts believe that Washington's actions regarding Venezuelan oil could reshape the regional energy landscape, creating opportunities for domestic production in the event of a decline in South American supply.
In this context, the opening of new oil bidding in deep waters reinforces the strategy of self-sufficiency, despite environmental warnings.
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