President Barack Obama has lifted a ban on drilling for oil off the coast of the eastern U.S. Critics say the move won't meet the stated goal of achieving energy independence, while proponents say this is only the first step that needs to be taken.
The decision stunned many environmentalists, but also irked others who argue that the plan is short-sighted in retaining a ban on drilling along the Pacific coast and on the Atlantic coast north of New Jersey.
"Mr. Obama, speaking at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, anticipated the reaction and tried to blunt the criticism.
'Ultimately, we need to move beyond the tired debates of the left and the right, between business leaders and environmentalists, between those who would claim drilling is a cure all and those who would claim it has no place,' he said. 'Because this issue is just too important to allow our progress to languish while we fight the same old battles over and over again.'"
FULL STORY: Obama’s Oil Drilling Plan Draws Critics From Both Sides
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