Official: No offshore drilling in Florida Gulf waters (AP)

TALLAHASSEE, Florida the Obama management is a long-term oil drilling ban in the Gulf of Mexico from Florida, after checked before easing maintain BP spill, a senior administration official said the associated press on Wednesday.

Only a month before that had begun in April spill Obama management enable announced in the eastern part of the Gulf as part of the management plan for the outer continental shelf drilling.

"In the face of that BP spill, we have learned a lot and understand the need to increase the safety and environmental standards", said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision had not yet announced. "We took a second look at the announced plan and modified it remove check in the eastern Gulf of Mexico from leasing."

Planned Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Wednesday afternoon to discuss the decision.

The eastern Gulf - an area extends itself from 125 to 300 miles off the coast of Florida - was singled out for protection of the Congress in 2006 as part of an agreement with Florida legislators, the available 8.3 million acres of oil and gas development in the East Central Gulf made. In this agreement is the protected region for energy development remain taboo until 2022.

But the Administration had the idea of advanced drilling until you talk BP spill that spewed an estimated 172 million gallons of oil into the Gulf. The Administration to ask Congress for the holes lift the moratorium would need to drill more of the eastern Gulf to open.

Florida has long banned drilling in its waters State-controlled - those immediately from its shores, before federal jurisdiction further out gains - by fears that its beaches would a spill damage State biggest tourist draw. But State legislators, including Governor Charlie Crist, were considering open to drill these waters before the spill.

On Wednesday, Crist called the decision "wonderful news"

"This is news conveniently be received by the tourism industry across the State, but also by the people," Crist said.

He also said he is not surprised that that would make BP spill, the Administration, which still overlooking its management plan if you consider it was one of the greatest disasters of the country.

"If this is not a wake-up call, I know would be what," said Crist. "If not, think affect you have, you don't think".

U.S. Republic Kathy Castor, D Florida, who represents the Tampa area, praised the decision.

"The White House learned obvious lessons of BP oil disaster." Drilling for oil from the Florida's coast is poses a threat to Florida's economy, employment and environment. Still suffer our small businesses and hoteliers from the devastation are, left behind by the BP blowout "you said in a press release." "Even before the BP disaster I emphasized the Administration that oil drilling off the West coast of Florida simply the risk value."

Senator Bill Nelson, D Florida, has long fought for drilling bans of the Gulf Florida of of coast of.

"It's good to hear the President of the people of Florida," said Nelson.

Officials for the big oil drill and companies, the service industry immediately to requests for comment by the AP responds.

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Obama returns drilling oil expansion to BP spill (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (AFP) President Barack Obama Wednesday a March decision on enlargement of offshore oil exploration on the Atlantic Ocean and the eastern Gulf of Mexico reversed, but drilling in the part of the Gulf of BP disaster allows affected deepwater further.

Moving of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced would ban until 2017 beyond oil and gas exploration in areas where there currently no drilling activity, such as in the eastern Gulf of Mexico before the coast of Florida, and the Centre and South Atlantic oceans.

Drilling in the Arctic, where only a company, shell, to a marketing authorisation submitted to drill a well, would "caution," said Salazar continue.

Made the reverse was a stricter legislation and stricter safety regulations for offshore drilling, "at the end of the oil spill deepwater horizon" with him brought Salazar said.

"We reviewed have our first March announcement... to focus and expand our critical resources on areas of leases that are currently active", Salazar said.

But the change in the policy had no effect on drilling in the central or Western Gulf of Mexico, where an explosion at BP's deepwater horizon rig on May 20 the worst maritime oil disaster in U.S. history raised.

"The modified plan currently lease sales in Western and Central Europe Golf Mexico calculated, subject to strict environmental analysis, continue allows", Salazar said.

The decision brought mixed responses from law in States that were affected by the Gulf oil spill or off would have seen your coast oil platforms, if exploration in the Atlantic and Eastern Gulf ahead gone.

Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson said the decision would ensure his State's vital tourism and fishing industry and Florida's "unique environment."

Democrat Edward Markey of Massachusetts, the most important energy panels in the House of representatives said chairs, showed the change in politics "Obama management listened the lessons learned from the disaster of BP"

"This plan will move America forward on a prudent path until we can ensure that if an oil company drill target genes, it is ultra secure,", he said.

But Louisiana Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu, the condition of which was affected most by the BP disaster as the decision a "step backward" for the security of energy supply.

"The original five-year plan... signaled that this Government has been seriously jobs and our nation?" s energy security.

"Despite the strict new security regulations are now needed by an accident deepwater horizon, this Government has decided a turnaround, make" she said.

The conservative U.S. Chamber of Commerce beat Obama management for the storage of "America's abundant oil and natural gas resources under lock and key... ensure that we continue to increase our dependence on foreign oil."

Republican Congressman John Culberson Texas gave the thumbs down the move, saying it would "increase energy prices, dampen economic growth, American jobs abroad send and add more pain and suffering on American consumers in these difficult economic times."

And Kenneth Cohen of oil giant ExxonMobil said that the decision would "eliminate much-needed revenue, inhibit to increase employment and dependence on imported energy."

Environmental groups, which had bitter rejected the March decision to open up new areas in the Atlantic and Eastern Gulf oil and gas exploration was the announcement of a mixed feelings.

The natural resources Defense Council (NRDC) movement said "go not far enough", because it left the door open for drilling in the Arctic and allowed seismic tests in the Atlantic Ocean, both of those could jeopardize fragile environments and the livelihoods of millions of Americans.

Athan Manuel Sierra Club environmental group said that keeping was drilling from the eastern Gulf and Atlantic a "step in the right direction... an oil spill as BP disaster überall-- could happen in Alaska or the Central and Western Gulf, where drilling is allowed."

The explosion on the deepwater horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico 11 workers killed and caused a record 4.9 million barrels or 185 million gallons of crude oil spewing into the sea, crippling the fishing and tourism industry in the Gulf Coast and immense damage in the fragile eco-system caused.

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U.S. drilling decisions ripple on two coasts (AP)

By HARRY R. WEBER associated press Harry R. Weber, associated Press-fr Dec 3, 4: 10 pm ET

NEW ORLEANS - less than a year ago, States and coastal towns fight saw economic rescue crude oil exploration off the Gulf Coast and Atlantic seaboard.

But the backlash from the BP oil spill - most recently to open the Obama - management decision this week, some of the area near new drilling has people, the is wondering if industry ever again in U.S. waters will thrive.

Some fear an exodus from oil platforms looking overseas friendly waters. And with each passing day, people who leave the damage is multiplication on deepwater drilling, say a ripple affect blue collar main street, right on the beach create drives. You warn it only get worse.

Lori Davis, owner of the rig Chem, a Houma, Louisiana, company, chemicals, oil companies "Deepwater was future," said sold. If it is less new exploratory drilling, each of industry suppliers, medical practices that treat oil field workers have less business.

Davis has already cut consultants, reduces a profit-sharing plan for workers and left a recent vacancies unfilled. "Today we have to rethink that because we have an administration, the clueless, not interested in the support of oil and gas," she said.

President Barack Obama's latest move maintain a drilling ban in both in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic coast is a reversal of his promise to do just the opposite three weeks before the disaster. And it shows that more than seven months after the deepwater horizon rig explosion killed 11 men and led spew undersea well to some 200 million gallons of BP's oil, the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. is still very much shaping national oil policy history.

After the April overflow the Government allowed placed a moratorium on the issuance of new deep water drilling in the Gulf. The moratorium was lifted October 12, but industry watchers say it remains effective. In the nearly eight weeks since the ban was lifted, the Government has granted only permission would allow recovery of all previously suspended drilling activity.

Manage secured before the great extension of offshore drilling, partially support for comprehensive climate legislation in Congress, one of the Obama's top legislative objectives to win. But is the President with Bill now much too politically say off the table, no to powerful oil interests, particularly in the tourism-conscious Florida win, should be a crucial swing state in the election campaign by 2012.

Many other tourism-controlled cities are also easy to win because of the perception of a pristine Ocean.

Questions, Marsha Henson Tybee Iceland, GA., and you will tell you Obama's decision brings her a sense of relief. You co-owner of sea kayak Georgia, is the offshore tours and paddling lessons for thousands of tourists to Georgia 100 miles of Atlantic coast every year returns.

"Of course he (Obama) hear the current feelings as we never see in this life is a cure of what happened in the Gulf", said Henson, whose business after the BP overflow due to more tourists come oil-free coastal Georgia rather than risk, ruined your trips of contaminated Gulf beaches picked up.

Maryland said Marie-Noëlle Sayan, owner of the 22 rooms King Charles Hotel in Ocean City, MD., grateful was.

"If we the whole city out of business could put offshore drilling, one, just one accident because the city is completely driven by tourism," said Sayan.

Wednesday vice versa Obama managing a March plan officials the potential for drilling of Delaware to Central Florida, plus the northern waters of Alaska explore authorized would have. The new approach allows drilling in Alaska, but officials said you gently move before approving all leases. Instead, the focus will be on areas with active leases which is largely in the Central and Western Gulf of Mexico and in a limited area of Alaska.

So far, rigs are not leaving the golf en masse, but industry officials fear you are.

ODS Petrodata that follows the market for oil and gas producers there after 36 floating rigs in the Gulf on Thursday, one more, as it the day before the explosion on board the BP leased deepwater horizon. However, the company said that only six of which implementation were rig operations Thursday – basically maintenance work, not explorative drilling.

Contracts be way work and lack a decline could because of the way. Due to a lack of deep sea drilling some oil and gas companies have tried failed to get leasing contracts but with rig owner signed before the moratorium. Other companies have slowed to keep the beat by negotiating lower rates with rig owner in the Gulf on a standby basis but which lowers the rig owner revenue because you're drilling higher lease prices command at the rigs. Some of the platforms were also a number of rigs in the Gulf of BP well directed blowout and those offset the themselves.

"The Government hates it, but it is true, there is a de facto moratorium in place," said ODS-Petrodata's Julian Gunther.

The Interior Department managed it simply is, operators with strict new rules of rig face the authorisations.

Chevron and Exxon Mobil both criticized the recent decision by the Obama administration. Technology professionals LLC Houma, Louisiana, a company that sells and services computers and working with oil companies, has had a lot projects put on hold or delayed owners who said Jason Bergeron. "At some point, we all are bound to the field." Even the doctors offices, with whom we cooperate, have seen a downturn, "Bergeron said."

He has already released some employees and can dismiss said Todd Hornbeck, CEO of Covington, Louisiana-based Hornbeck offshore services, ships and other services for the offshore industry, on Thursday, more. Offer concrete numbers while he wouldn't he said that he likely to check out how deploying assets in friendly waters will have overseas. He said half of his 85 ships are idle.

"Everyone is scared," said Hornbeck.

___

Associated press writer Alex Dominguez in Baltimore, Russ Bynum in Savannah, GA., and Kevin McGill in New Orleans contributed to this report.

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