Environmental Groups Sue to Block Trump’s Offshore Drilling Expansions

Feb 19 (Reuters) – Environmental groups on Wednesday moved in court to block President Donald Trump’s administration from allowing offshore oil drilling along broad swaths of U.S. coastline, in what appeared to be the first legal challenges to the Republicans’ efforts to boost fossil fuel production.

A new lawsuit seeks to block Trump from revoking former President Joe Biden’s ban on offshore drilling in certain coastal areas, while a new filing in a case from the first Trump administration seeks to reinstate prohibitions against drilling in 128 million acres of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans.

Biden banned new offshore oil and gas development along most U.S. coastlines ahead of Trump taking office, though the move was considered mostly symbolic because it did not impact areas where drilling was already underway and mainly covered zones lacki…