Obama to address 'energy security,' drilling plan expected

President Obama's remarks at the Andrews Naval Air Facility Wednesday morning will focus on "energy security," the White House said Tuesday evening. Environmental and energy industry lobbyists expect Obama to discuss the administration's long-awaited offshore oil-and-gas policy.

Obama has signaled support for broader offshore drilling as he woos backing from Republicans and centrist Democrats for a wider energy and climate policy shift that includes measures to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

Industry and environmental group sources said Tuesday that they expect the administration's drilling policy to include oil-and-gas leasing off the coast of southeastern states -- areas that until 2008 were covered by longstanding drilling bans.

It is not clear if Obama will discuss specific proposals, or leave that to the Interior Department, which oversees leasing in federal waters. A White House spokesman did not respond to inquiries Monday night and Tuesday morning about potential energy policy announcements, and an Interior Department spokeswoman declined comment when contacted by The Hill Tuesday morning.

Wider drilling is also part of a broad energy and climate change bill that Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) are crafting.

Already, energy legislation approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last June would shrink the size of the no-drilling buffer off Florida's Gulf of Mexico shores.

This post was updated at 9:23 p.m.