(MENAFN) The administration of President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to permit offshore oil drilling across almost all American coastal waters, according to a media outlet on Thursday.

The preliminary oil lease proposal focuses on the southeastern United States, a region that Trump had earlier vowed to safeguard during his reelection campaign due to fears that possible oil spills could harm beaches and tourism.

Papers detailing the Department of the Interior’s comprehensive proposal reveal that it remains uncertain whether the draft has been presented to Trump, and the details could still be modified before its official release.

A spokesperson for the Interior Department declined to discuss “deliberative matters” but emphasized that the agency “has been clear that there is a national energy emergency and all options to combat that crisis and win the AI race against China are on the table.”

This draft plan represents a substantial enlargement of US waters available for oil and gas exploration, extending to regions close to coral reefs and Arctic zones that environmental advocates warn are in danger.

Prepared by the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the draft outlines prospective auctions for oil and gas drilling along the East and West coasts, surrounding Alaska, and within the Gulf of Mexico.

However, drilling would likely continue to be restricted in protected regions, including the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument near Massachusetts and the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument close to Hawaii.

MENAFN25102025000045017167ID1110245915