�WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th September, 2020) US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order to extend a moratorium on offshore drilling in Florida's Gulf coast and to expand the temporary drilling ban into the state's Atlantic coast.
"In a few moments I will sign a presidential order extending the moratorium on offshore drilling on Florida's gulf coast and expanding it to Florida's Atlantic coast as well as the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina," Trump said.
Trump said in a copy of the presidential memorandum that the existing moratorium will be extended for another 10 years starting on July 1, 2022.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden weighed in on Trump's executive order, describing it as a fair-weather decision made in light of the US election. Biden emphasized that he also opposes new offshore drilling.
The Trump administration, which has been keen on on rolling back Federal regulations on the US energy sector, had promised energy industry executives it would open up those zones to offshore drilling.
