SuperCitizen

The federal government leases tracts on the Outer Continental Shelf for oil and gas development under five-year leasing plans set by the Interior Department. The Gulf of Mexico accounts for the bulk of U.S. offshore production; Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic waters have seen far less recent leasing.

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster killed 11 workers and produced the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history, prompting regulatory reforms. Administrations have varied sharply: some have proposed major leasing expansions including in Atlantic and Pacific waters; others have narrowed lease sales to the smallest in decades. The Inflation Reduction Act tied new offshore wind leasing to continued offshore oil and gas leasing.

Coastal-state politics often diverge from national politics, with both Republican and Democratic governors at times opposing offshore leasing on tourism and fisheries grounds.

Spectrum of framings

How adherents on each side of the conventional left / center / right spectrum frame this issue — written so each camp would recognize the framing as charitable.

left

Most progressives favor sharply restricting or ending new offshore oil and gas leasing, citing climate and spill risk, while expanding offshore wind.

center

Centrists generally support limited continued leasing in established producing areas with strong safety standards, paired with offshore wind expansion and coastal-state input.

right

Most conservatives favor expanded offshore leasing for energy security and revenue, with stronger preference for Gulf production and continued safety regulation.

Perspectives

Each perspective is presented in terms its advocates would recognize, with the concerns they treat as paramount. None is endorsed.

Energy-security and revenue advocates

Domestic offshore production strengthens energy security, generates billions in federal revenue and coastal-state royalties, and supports tens of thousands of jobs. Modern safety regulation has dramatically reduced spill risk. Curtailing leasing pushes production to higher-emitting overseas sources.

Energy security and price stability
Federal and coastal-state revenue
Jobs in coastal energy regions

Spill-risk and climate advocates

Offshore drilling carries catastrophic spill risks that no amount of regulation eliminates, as Deepwater Horizon showed. Expanding leasing locks in fossil-fuel infrastructure for decades when climate targets require winding down production. Coastal economies depend more on tourism and fisheries than on drilling.

Catastrophic spill risk
Climate commitments and fossil-fuel lock-in
Coastal tourism and fisheries economies