He announced that 31 oil and gas reserves will now be off limits in areas stretching from New England to Virginia.

Obama implemented the executive order by using a provision found in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which bans offshore leases in the waters permanently.

The statute says that "the president of the United States may, from time to time, withdraw from disposition any of the unleased lands of the outer Continental Shelf."

The move is aimed to prevent President-elect Donald Trump from fulfilling his promise to unleash the nation's untapped energy reserves.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, responded to the decision via Twitter.

"Yet another Obama abuse of power—hopefully, one that will be reversed ... exactly one month from today" after Trump's inauguration, Cruz wrote.

Cruz closed his tweet with a hashtag: "Taking away Obama's pen and phone."

Environmentalist groups hope the ban will be difficult for future presidents to reverse.

David Rivkin, an attorney who served on the White House Counsel staff of Ronald Regan and George H.W. Bush, told The Washington Post that although it could be difficult, the decision can be overturned.

"Basically, I say the power to withdraw entails the power to un-withdraw," Rivkin said, "especially if you determine the justification for the original withdrawal is no longer valid."

He added that a legal battle will likely follow, but that "it's not clear why Congress would want to give a president tremendous authority operating only one way."

The White House announced its latest actions in conjunction with the Canadian government. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also placed a restriction on new oil and gas leasing in its Arctic waters but plans to reverse it in five years.

Existing leases will not be affected by the president's executive actions.

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