The Minerals Management Service is seeking comment on the administration's plans to allow offshore drilling for oil and natural gas. (photo Simon Johnston by licese Creative Commons)
This will be the area's first public meeting of the Minerals Management Service since President Obama announced he was lifting the ban on offshore drilling for oil and natural gas.
Representatives from energy companies are expected to attend, as will Will Berson of the Georgia Conservancy. His concern is habitat for endangered right whales.
"There's concern about the impact of seismic activity and just the noise actually of doing drilling," Berson says.
The federal agency could take two years to develop a plan to balance environmental and business concerns.
