Drill baby drill…

Interior to look at drilling in Atlantic Ocean

WASHINGTON—Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says he is nearly ready to begin an environmental analysis that could lead to drilling in areas up to 200 miles offshore in the Atlantic Ocean.

Salazar told reporters he will soon launch a 45-day comment period on a planned study of how drilling would affect the ocean floor. He said federal officials know little about the Atlantic Coast because of a long-standing moratorium on oil and gas exploration across much of the nation’s Outer Continental Shelf. Congress lifted the moratorium in 2008.

Information on the possible effect of Atlantic drilling “is 30 years out of date,” Salazar said Monday. He said six companies have filed applications to do more seismic exploration in the Atlantic and three others have indicated interest.