Obama launches new offshore drilling plan

Over the past year, Salazar has been reevaluating previous decisions in this area in order to develop new oil and gas drilling policies for the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) that will help reduce foreign oil dependence and create jobs, but also account for environmental risks and responsibilities.

As such, the aim of the initiative announced yesterday is to encourage expansion of development and production in new areas, such as the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, and increase oil and gas exploration in