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President Biden moves to protect oceans from offshore drilling. Here’s what that means

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President Biden moves to protect oceans from offshore drilling. Here’s what that means


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President Joe Biden has permanently banned offshore drilling along a majority of America’s coastline, including off the coast of Delaware.

The ban does not have an expiration date, although the move is considered largely symbolic. The decision removes the possibility that areas off the Atlantic, Pacific and the east Gulf Coast will being surveyed for oil and gas drilling.

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During the earlier years of the previous Trump administration, Delaware’s Governor John Carney found himself, along with other coastal lawmakers, at the frontlines of a fight to protect the Atlantic shores from offshore drilling operations.

Biden’s move cannot be reversed by future presidents, but there are ways that future governments can push against it.

Here are the details.

What do the protections mean?

On Monday, Jan. 6, President Biden published a statement that permanently banned offshore oil and natural gas drilling off of the East Coast, West Coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s Northern Bering Sea.

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“My decision reflects what coastal communities, businesses and beachgoers have known for a long time: that drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs,” Biden said in his statement.

Combined, 625 million acres of ocean are now permanently withdrawn from lease option from private companies looking to drill for oil and natural gas.

President Biden invoked his authority spelled out in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which has been used by the previous three presidential administrations to either temporarily or permanently protect areas of the ocean from being used for offshore drilling.

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Most recently, this particular section of the law was used by President Trump leading up to the 2020 election to temporarily protect the coasts of Florida and North Carolina. The protections for these areas were set to expire in 2032.

In July 2024, the Coastal Business Alliance, which represents over 55,000 coastal businesses along the United States’ coastlines, sent a letter to the Biden Administration requesting the President to enact permanent protections for these areas.

“Our members understand that dirty and dangerous offshore drilling directly threatens the marine ecosystems we rely on; that same drilling also worsens climate change which brings growing risks to the health and livelihoods of our communities every year,” the letter said.

Coastal businesses and defense specialists have advocated for the protection of more ocean areas, citing that the GDP of coastal economies is inextricable linked with a healthy ocean and coastline.

How far do protections go?

Although they are permanent, there are some restrictions to the decision from the Biden Administration.

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The protections do not apply to areas already under lease for drilling, most of which are located on the west Gulf of Mexico (not included in this decision).

It also does not apply to other construction activities that may involve drilling, such as offshore wind projects which require horizontal drilling to connect cables from the ocean to shore.

President-elect Trump has already said he will reverse Biden’s protections “immediately,” although it may not be that simple.

While in office, President Trump attempted to remove similar permanent protections that were set in place by the Obama administration, but this was overruled by a judge who ruled that only an act of Congress can overrule these decisions.

What does it mean for Delaware?

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No lease agreements were active in Delaware leading up to President Biden’s decision, but there have been close calls in recent years that have sparked Delaware lawmakers to be proactive.

Between 2017 and 2018, the Trump administration announced that they would revisit offshore drilling restrictions, including off of the Atlantic coast. This prompted Governor John Carney to speak out against drilling in the Atlantic and to meet with former Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke to discuss the administration’s offshore drilling plan.

“The health of Delaware’s economy and environment are directly tied to the health of the state’s coastal areas,” said Carney in 2018. “I cannot accept the tremendous risks associated with opening vast areas in the Atlantic to drilling.”

Two senate bills were also passed in 2018 to prohibit oil and natural gas drilling in Delaware’s coastal zones and territorial waters.

The Trump administration previously authorized private companies to use seismic airgun surveys to test for the prevalence of oil and gas under the continental shelf. After which, Delaware signed onto a legal complaint against the federal government.

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Environmentalists in particular have hailed President Biden’s decision as a victory for protecting the sanctity of the oceans and coasts.

“Our coastlines are home to millions of Americans and support billions of dollars of economic activity that depend on a clean coast, abundant wildlife and thriving fisheries,” said Oceana Campaign Director Joseph Gordon. “Our treasured coastal communities are now safeguarded for future generations.” 

Molly McVety covers community and environmental issues around Delaware. Contact her at mmcvety@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @mollymcvety





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Delaware Lottery Mega Millions, Play 3 Day winning numbers for Dec. 16, 2025

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Delaware Lottery Mega Millions, Play 3 Day winning numbers for Dec. 16, 2025


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The Delaware Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025 results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Dec. 16 drawing

20-24-46-59-65, Mega Ball: 07

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Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play 3 numbers from Dec. 16 drawing

Day: 7-1-2

Night: 0-1-8

Check Play 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play 4 numbers from Dec. 16 drawing

Day: 5-5-8-3

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Night: 4-2-6-8

Check Play 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Multi-Win Lotto numbers from Dec. 16 drawing

10-21-22-24-26-33

Check Multi-Win Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 16 drawing

03-04-19-24-39, Lucky Ball: 11

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Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play 5 numbers from Dec. 16 drawing

Day: 6-6-3-8-7

Night: 8-7-0-5-4

Check Play 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

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Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

  • Sign the Ticket: Establish legal ownership by signing the back of your ticket with an ink pen.
  • Prizes up to $599: Claim at any Delaware Lottery Retailer, in person at the Delaware Lottery Office, or mail your signed ticket and claim form; print your name/address on the ticket’s back and keep a copy/photo for records. By mail, send original tickets and documentation to: Delaware Lottery, 1575 McKee Road, Suite 102, Dover, DE 19904.
  • Prizes up to $2,500: Claim in person at Delaware Lottery Retailer Claim Centers throughout Kent, Sussex and New Castle Counties.
  • Prizes of $5,001 or more: Claim in person at the Delaware Lottery Office (business days 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) with a photo ID and Social Security card.
  • For all prize claims, directions to the Delaware Lottery Office are available online or via mapquest.com for a map.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Delaware Lottery.

Can I claim a jackpot prize anonymously in Delaware?

Fortunately for First State residents, the Delaware Lottery allows winners remain anonymous. Unlike many other states that require a prize be over a certain jackpot, Delawareans can remain anonymous no matter how much, or how little, they win.

How long do I have to claim my prize in Delaware?

Tickets are valid for up to one year past the drawing date for drawing game prizes or within one year of the announced end of sales for Instant Games, according to delottery.com.

When are the Delaware Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Play 3, 4: Daily at 1:58 p.m. and 7:57 p.m., except Sunday afternoon.
  • Multi-Win Lotto: 7:57 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: Daily at 10:38 p.m.
  • Lotto America: 11:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Delaware Online digital operations manager. You can send feedback using this form.



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Trump will go to Delaware for the dignified transfer of the 2 National Guard members killed in Syria

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Trump will go to Delaware for the dignified transfer of the 2 National Guard members killed in Syria


WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is traveling to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Wednesday for a dignified transfer for the two Iowa National Guard members killed in an attack in the Syrian desert that is testing the rapprochement between Washington and Damascus.

The two guardsmen killed in the attack on Saturday were Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, according to the U.S. Army. Both were members of the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment. A U.S. civilian working as an interpreter was also killed.

The ritual at Dover Air Force Base honors U.S. service members killed in action and is one of the most solemn duties undertaken by the commander in chief.

During the process, transfer cases draped with the American flag holding the remains of fallen soldiers are carried from the military aircraft that carried them to Dover to an awaiting vehicle to transport them to the mortuary facility at the base. There, the fallen service members are prepared for their final resting place.

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Trump, a Republican, said during his first term that witnessing the dignified transfer of service members’ remains is “the toughest thing I have to do” as president.

Remembered as ‘the best of Iowa’

The Iowa National Guard is remembering the two men as heroes. Howard’s stepfather, Jeffrey Bunn, said Howard “loved what he was doing and would be the first in and last out,” noting that he had wanted to be a soldier since he was a young boy.

In a post on the Meskwaki Nation Police Department’s Facebook page, Bunn – who is chief of the Tama, Iowa, department – called Howard a loving husband and an “amazing man of faith” and said Howard’s brother, a staff sergeant in the Iowa National Guard, would escort “Nate” back to Iowa.

Torres-Tovar was remembered as a “very positive” person who was family oriented and someone who always put others first, according to fellow guardsmen who were deployed with Torres-Tovar and issued a statement to the local TV broadcast station WOI.

“They were dedicated professionals and cherished members of our Guard family who represented the best of Iowa,” said Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn, adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard.

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Trump stands by Syrian leader al-Sharaa

On Saturday, Trump told reporters that he was mourning the deaths and vowed retaliation.

Trump said Monday that he remained confident in the leadership of interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the onetime leader of an Islamic insurgent group who led the ouster of former President Bashar Assad, whose family had an iron grip on Syrian rule for decades.

The U.S. president welcomed al-Sharaa to Washington last month for a historic visit to the White House and formally welcomed Syria as a member of the U.S.-led coalition to fight the Islamic State group. Hundreds of U.S. troops are deployed in eastern Syria as part of a coalition fighting IS.

“This had nothing to do with him,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. “This had to do with ISIS.”

Three other members of the Iowa National Guard were injured in the attack. As of Monday, two were in stable condition and the other in good condition. The Pentagon has not identified them.

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Trump traveled to Dover several times during his first term to honor the fallen, including for a U.S. Navy SEAL killed during a raid in Yemen, for two Army officers whose helicopter crashed in Afghanistan and for two Army soldiers killed in Afghanistan when a person dressed in an Afghan army uniform opened fire.



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Delaware will save more than $300M after federal tax decoupling takes effect

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Delaware will save more than 0M after federal tax decoupling takes effect


The fiscal year 2027 forecast remained relatively flat from the October meeting. But some expenses declined, including salaries for teachers. Brian Maxwell, state director of Management and Budget, said teacher salary expenses were down because student enrollment has dropped. He said federal immigration policy could be impacting the state’s Multilingual Learners.

“Obviously, there have been a number of students that may not be showing up to class just because of the enforcement of [Immigration and Customs Enforcement],” he said. “So some of the families may be scared to actually send their kids to school.”

Maxwell said overall enrollment is down, but the number of students needing special education services is up. The next student count is in February.

DEFAC members also discussed the revised Healthcare Spending benchmark. In September, the subcommittee devised a methodology that only used healthcare inflation, resulting in a 7.13% for 2026.

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“We all gathered in October and there was a fair amount of concern with that outcome,” said Christen Linke Young, director of Health and Social Services. “So the subcommittee reconvened earlier this month to consider a new approach.”

After adopting the methodology using expected national inflation data and a three-year measure of health care cost growth, the benchmark now sits at 4.9%. But Young said there would be no penalty for hospitals exceeding the guideline.

Gov. Meyer and the state’s largest nongovernmental employer, ChristianaCare Health System, reached an agreement earlier this year in a lawsuit the regional hospital system filed last year. The Diamond State Hospital Cost Review Board was created by lawmakers in June 2024 to try to rein in hospital spending. But the agreement, which requires new legislation and the governor’s signature, would strip the board of its authority to approve and modify hospital budgets.



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