(MENAFN) The Trump administration is reportedly planning to open nearly all US coastal waters to offshore oil drilling, according to a news outlet report on Thursday. The draft proposal targets the Southeast US, an area that Trump had previously sought to protect during his reelection campaign, citing concerns about the environmental risks of spills affecting beaches and tourism.

The documents outlining the Department of the Interior’s draft plan suggest that the proposal is still in the early stages, with uncertainty about whether it has reached Trump for approval, and potential changes before its final release. A spokesperson for the Interior Department declined to comment on internal deliberations but reiterated the agency’s position that the nation faces an energy crisis and that all options, including offshore drilling, are under consideration.

The plan indicates a significant expansion of oil and gas leasing across US waters, including regions near coral reefs and in Arctic waters, which environmentalists have raised concerns about due to the potential risks to fragile ecosystems. The proposal, prepared by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, envisions drilling opportunities along the East and West coasts, around Alaska, and in the Gulf of Mexico.

However, drilling would likely remain prohibited in certain protected areas such as the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument off the coast of Massachusetts and the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument near Hawaii.

Industry support for the expanded drilling access is evident, with companies expressing interest in exploration beyond the Gulf of Mexico. The draft plan is part of an ongoing effort to develop a new five-year strategy for Outer Continental Shelf oil leases from 2026 to 2031. This would replace the Biden administration’s program, which had proposed just three auctions between 2024 and 2029.

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