"WASHINGTON — The Obama administration moved closer to allowing oil and gas exploration off the Atlantic coast by releasing an environmental report Thursday that details how companies should protect marine wildlife if they want to start seismic testing in the area."

"The 800-page, long-overdue analysis from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management doesn’t expressly grant testing permits, but it clears the path for processing applications from companies seeking to survey what’s below the ocean floor.

“This is a way of establishing strong measures that eliminate or reduce the environmental effects if any such surveys go forward,” said Tommy Beaudreau, director of BOEM, an agency within the U.S. Interior Department."

Mary Orndorff Troyan reports for the Greenville News February 27, 2014. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Feds Support Air Gun Blasts To Find Atlantic Oil, Gas" (McClatchy) [3]