The Obama administration plans to announce on Tuesday that it
is lifting the moratorium on deep-water oil drilling, after
putting in place new rules intended to tighten safety.
President Obama imposed the moratorium after the blowout of a
BP well in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20 led to the largest
offshore oil spill in American history. But the White House
has come under intense pressure from the industry and
from regional officials and businesses that have complained about the economic impact.
"The process is coming to its natural end," Robert Gibbs, the
White House press secretary, told reporters on Tuesday
morning. "I believe the process will wrap up very soon."
The Interior Department later sent reporters an e-mail announcing
that it would hold a telephone news conference at 1 p.m. to
discuss the resumption of deep-water drilling.
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