The Obama administration proposed opening to offshore drilling an area from Virginia to Georgia in a policy shift long sought by energy companies but opposed by environmentalists concerned about popular resorts such as the Outer Banks and Myrtle Beach. The proposed offshore plan for 2017-2022 marks the second time President Barack Obama has recommended unlocking areas in the U.S. Atlantic for oil drilling, and he has faced criticism from allies who say the risks of a spill along the populated coast don’t justify the payoff. The agency said Atlantic leases won’t be auctioned for at least six years and drilling wouldn’t begin for several years after that. “This plan takes a balanced approach to oil and gas development,” Interior Secretary Sally Jewell told reporters Tuesday on a conference call. “It protects areas that are just too special to develop.” Managing the U.S. oil and gas boom has become a […]