Interior Department Opens 625 Million Acres to Offshore Drilling Despite Court Injunction

The Interior Department announced the opening of approximately 625 million acres of federal offshore waters to oil and gas leasing, proceeding despite an existing Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals injunction that had blocked prior leasing in those waters. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum authorized the move under Trump executive orders directing maximum energy production. The action directly defied the injunction and triggered an immediate legal response from environmental and state plaintiffs.