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Trump signs executive order on offshore drilling

EPA / OLIVIER DOULIERY

United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday to expand offshore energy development, instructing his cabinet officials to revise the Obama administration's five-year plan for developing federal waters.

The move comes amid Trump's efforts to lift limits on oil and gas drilling and coal mining that were put in place by former US President Barack Obama in an attempt to withdraw US waters from lease sales to fossil fuel companies. In particular, the America First Offshore Energy executive order instructs the Interior Department to carry out a review of the locations available for offshore oil and gas exploration and of the associated regulations. It also directs the Commerce Department to refrain from naming or expanding marine sanctuaries and review existing ones.

The order is part of the president's promise to "unleash American energy, opening the way to thousands of energy jobs" and reduce the country's reliance on foreign energy sources. However, the move has been criticized on concerns over the harm that offshore drilling would cause to the environment and marine life in the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans.

Breaking the News / IB