"President Obama’s proposal to open vast expanses of American coastlines to oil and natural gas drilling drew criticism from both sides in the drilling debate.

The plan, which Mr. Obama said would balance the need to produce more domestic energy while protecting natural resources, would allow drilling along the Atlantic coastline, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the north coast of Alaska. It would end a longstanding moratorium on exploration from the northern tip of Delaware to the central coast of Florida, covering 167 million acres of ocean."

John Broder reports for the New York Times March 31, 2010.
[2]
See Also:

"President Obama Opens New Areas To Offshore Drilling" (Washington Post)
[3]
"In Virginia, Mixed Reaction" (Washington Post) [4]

"Risk Is Clear in Drilling; Payoff Isn’t" (New York Times)
[5]
"Boehner Rebukes Obama Offshore Drilling Plan" (E2Wire) [6]

"Obama to Expand Offshore Drilling" (Mother Jones) [7]

"Obama Opens New Oil Drilling Offshore In Climate Drive" (Reuters) [8]

"ConocoPhillips, Shell To Expand Alaska Drilling" (Reuters) [9]

"Offshore Atlantic Drilling Divides" (AP) [10]

"In Md., Drilling Meets Resistance" (Baltimore Sun) [11]

"Activists: Obama Drill Plan Is Betrayal" (MSNBC) [12]