Trump administration seeks new offshore oil drilling leases along U.S. coasts by 2026: report

The Trump administration is preparing to expand offshore oil drilling by proposing to auction new leases along previously off-limits stretches of the U.S. coastline as soon as 2026, according to draft documents from the Department of the Interior that were obtained by CBS News.

The internal proposal would open federal waters off New England, the Carolinas, and California to oil and gas exploration. Currently, active offshore drilling is largely confined to the Gulf of Mexico and parts of Alaska. The Atlantic coast has no active oil leases, and California has not issued a new offshore lease since 1984.

The reported plan comes shortly after the Interior Department announced the reopening of 1.56 million acres within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s Coastal Plain for oil and gas leasing, which reversed a Biden-era restriction on Arctic drilling.

Democrats and environmental groups are blasting the move. Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., accused the administration of prioritizing fossil fuel donors over environmental protections. 

“This decision is not about energy dominance—it’s about donor dominance,” Markey said. “The Arctic Refuge is not for sale.”

The offshore leasing proposal is part of the National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, which oversees federal offshore drilling in five-year time periods. The previous plan, enacted under Biden, reportedly authorized only three lease sales, which was the least in U.S. history.