Pursuits
Obama Proposes Offshore Oil Drilling From Virginia to Georgia
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Photographer: Rebecca Nelson/Getty Images, Photo Illustration by Tom Hall/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The Obama administration proposed opening to offshore drilling an area from Virginia to Georgia in a policy shift sought by energy companies but opposed by environmentalists worried about resorts such as the Outer Banks or Myrtle Beach.
The offshore plan for 2017-2022 marks the second time President Barack Obama has recommended unlocking areas in the U.S. Atlantic for oil drilling, and it drew a swift retort from allies who say the payoff doesn’t justify the risk of a spill along the populated coast. The agency said Atlantic leases won’t be auctioned for at least six years and drilling wouldn’t start for several more years.