Biden Illegally Blocked Oil Leasing in Gulf, Judge Rules (1)

President Joe Biden illegally blocked offshore oil and gas leasing in the final days of his administration, a Louisiana judge ruled Thursday.

Judge James D. Cain Jr. of the US District Court of the Western District of Louisiana partially granted motions for summary judgment filed by a coalition of oil-producing states and industry groups, led by Louisiana.

The Gulf Energy Alliance, the American Petroleum Institute, and five Republican-led coastal states—including Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, and Mississippi—in January sued the Biden administration for withdrawing parts of the Gulf of Mexico and other waters from offshore oil and gas leasing. They said the withdrawal was unconstitutional and violated the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.

President Donald Trump, shortly after taking office in January, rescinded Biden’s memorandum withdrawing those waters from leasing and has since reopened the eastern Gulf of Mexico and other coastal waters to fossil fuels development. Cain in May ruled the case wasn’t moot despite Trump reversing Biden’s withdrawals.

Cain ruled Thursday that Biden, and President Barack Obama before him, exceeded presidential authority when they withdrew large swaths of Outer Continental Shelf lands without an expiration date. He said the executive branch historically has only used withdrawal authority sparingly, and with expiration dates.

He partly granted the states’ motion for summary judgment, and fully granted a motion for summary judgment filed by the American Petroleum Institute, which argued the withdrawals violated OCSLA and the Supreme Court’s major questions doctrine.

“We welcome the court’s decision to vacate this politically motivated decision and ensure our nation’s vast offshore resources remain a critical source of affordable energy, government revenue and stability around the world,” Ryan Meyers, API general counsel, said in a statement Friday.

The case is Louisiana v. Biden, W.D. La., No. 2:25-cv-00071, 10/2/25.