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President Barack Obama to drill for oil and gas off the East Coast, in the Gulf of Mexico and off parts of Alaska.

Obama mentioned the plans as part of a wider speech on energy. It included plans for 5,000 hybrid government vehicles and increased fuel efficiency standards for new cars.

The plans would not allow drilling off the West Coast, including the Oregon coast, which would remain under a federal drilling moratorium.

The drilling plans angered environmentalists, including those at , which emailed the 91ÊÓƵ a statement saying, “If Virginia’s shores can be opened up today, Oregon’s coast can be opened up tomorrow.” Virginia will be the first state to have its shores explored for oil and natural gas.

Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) last week joined eight other coastal senators .

The speech pleased many Republicans, who generally support offshore drilling. The move was a to maintain the ban on offshore oil exploration. Obama also wants to expand nuclear power and invest in new coal, which he mentioned in his January .