Is oil and gas drilling under the Great Lakes currently allowed in the U.S.?
No. Further oil and gas exploration and drilling is not currently allowed in U.S. waters. However, wells drilled under the Great Lakes in the past remain operational. There is currently a moratorium in the U.S. on all oil and gas drilling under the Great Lakes. Section 503 of the Energy and Water Appropriations (EWA) of 2002 established a 2-year moratorium on all Federal and state permits and leases for gas and oil drilling in, or under the Great Lakes. That moratorium on drilling was subsequently extended through FY 2005 (Section 505 of the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution of 2003) and again through FY 2007 (Section 504 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005.) In July 2005, Congress issued a permanent ban on the issuance of Federal and State permits or leases for new oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes, which the president signed into law on August 8, 2005 (the Energy Policy Act of 2005). Specifically, Section 386 of this Act bans the issuance of “Federal or State pe
No. Further oil and gas exploration and drilling is not currently allowed in U.S. waters. However, wells drilled under the Great Lakes in the past remain operational. There is currently a moratorium in the U.S. on all oil and gas drilling under the Great Lakes. Section 503 of the Energy and Water Appropriations (EWA) of 2002 established a 2-year moratorium on all Federal and state permits and leases for gas and oil drilling in, or under the Great Lakes. That moratorium on drilling was subsequently extended through FY 2005 (Section 505 of the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution of 2003) and again through FY 2007 (Section 504 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005.) In July 2005, Congress issued a permanent ban on the issuance of Federal and State permits or leases for new oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes, which the president signed into law on August 8, 2005 (the Energy Policy Act of 2005). Specifically, Section 386 of this Act bans the issuance of “Federal or State pe
