Graham: Senate should go further on drilling, eye Pacific Coast development

Graham plans to unveil broad climate change and energy legislation later this month with Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.).

The White House plans includes drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, eventual development off the coast of mid-Atlantic and southeastern states, and Arctic oil exploration off the northern coast of Alaska (although it cancels several upcoming lease sales there to allow further study). Much of the eastern Gulf remains off-limits under a 2006 law, so a major expansion of development would require congressional action.

The White House plan does not include oil-and-gas development off the Pacific Coast, and President Obama has also placed Alaska’s sensitive Bristol Bay region off-limits.

(Click here and here to see Interior Department maps that explain the Obama administration plan.)