Drill, baby. Now. Federal regulators rejected a request by Virginia officials to postpone plans to drill for oil and gas off the shore of the Commonwealth.
Recently, Governor Tim Kaine asked Minerals Management Service (MMS), an office of the U.S. Department of the Interior, to postpone any plans for drilling until President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in. The Associated Press reports that Randall Luthi, director of MMS, said the delay would not be necessary.
Back in November, MMS announced the start of a 45-day public comment period on whether the Virginia coast should be made available for drilling. At the end of the public comment period—which was extended over the holidays—the federal government will begin an environmental impact review to determine if drilling can begin by 2011.