A Duke University professor has been tapped by the White House to lead the Energy Information Administration, the agency that tracks energy statistics in Washington.

President Barack Obama today nominated Richard G. Newell, an expert in environmental economics, for the job as administrator of the agency, Barb Barrett reports.

On the surface it might seem as though Newell would be taking on a pretty wonky position. The agency keeps track of data and makes forecasts on oil, coal, natural gas, nuclear energy and renewable energies.

But the Energy Information Administration's work carries significant weight in energy policy discussions. Its research likely will have some impact, for example, in whether North Carolina's coastal waters could sprout either oil wells or wind turbines.

During last year’s debate on offshore drilling and high gas prices, experts routinely cited an EIA report that said new drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf would have little impact on oil prices before 2030.

Newell is the Gendell Associate Professor of Energy and Environmental Economics at Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment. His research has focused on energy and the environment, including the economics of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Newell’s nomination would have to be approved by a Senate vote.

A poll shows continuing support for offshore drilling.

The survey by the conservative Civitas Institute think tank showed that 72 percent of voters support drilling at least somewhere off the coast of North Carolina.

The poll showed 41 percent support drilling as long as it is not visible from the shore, 31 percent support drilling anywhere off the coast and 22 percent did not support drilling. Six percent had no opinion.

"It appears voters overwhelmingly support drilling off the coast, whether it is a plurality that would allow it within sight of land or huge majorities allowing it somewhere off the coast," said executive director Francis De Luca.

The legislature has appointed a task force to study whether the state should allow offshore drilling. 

The live phone survey of 600 likely general election voters was conducted April 21-23 by McLaughlin and Associates of Alexandria, Va. It has a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan said she is not opposed to drilling for oil or natural gas off the North Carolina coast if that is what the state decides to do.

"If the state determines that we need to be drilling," Hagan said, "I would support that."

She said North Carolina should get a healthy share of any revenues — perhaps 35 percent, Rob Christensen reports.

"I'm not opposed to it," Hagan said in an interview.

But she said the environmental impact, the cost of retrieving the oil and gas, and what kind of reserves are off the coast are all factors that would have to be weighed.

President Obama said he's still reviewing offshore drilling.

Speaking at a roundtable with regional reporters at the White House today, Obama said he wants to see offshore drilling as part of a bigger picture.

He pointed out that his administration has already pushed back the end of a public comment period on a five-year drilling plan from March to September.

He said he would "hold out for a more comprehensive strategy" before going "whole hog" on offshore drilling.

House Speaker Joe Hackney chose a number of professors for a task force on offshore drilling.

The Chapel Hill Democrat named half of the 24 members of a task force that could spend as much as $100,000 and over a year looking into the state's position on drilling off the coast.

Doug Rader, chief ocean scientist for the N.C. Environmental Defense Fund and the member of an earlier panel that came out against drilling, was his choice for co-chair. Rader has previously criticized proposals for offshore drilling.

Other Hackney appointees include professors of civil engineering, economics, marine sciences and geosciences; the owner of an oil distributor; the representative of a natural gas company; and a former Cabinet secretary.

After the jump, the names and job titles of Hackney's 12 appointees.

Related: Basnight's appointees to drilling task force

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Doug Rader has criticized drilling before.

As noted previously, one of the co-chairs of a legislative task force studying offshore drilling editorialized against it last year.

But he's also been quoted opposing it over the years:

* "Although it is questionable whether any drilling at all is compatible with North Carolina's sensitive coastal resources, there is absolutely no way any oil or gas activity should ever be permitted in this unique and valuable region of the Atlantic." — Wilmington Morning Star, June 16, 1998.

* About Chevron's decision to put off drilling: "That's a very important development, especially at a time when so many other threats stand at the gates of North Carolina's coast. ... That's among the worst places in the world to drill for oil." — News & Observer, Feb. 4, 1999.

* About the U.S. Supreme Court taking a case involving offhosre drilling: "We welcome a final resolution of the outer continental shelf drilling mess off the North Carolina coast. ... The Supreme Court hearing of this case provides an opportunity to correct mistakes of past administrations, which allowed leases where they never should have been." — Charlotte Observer, Nov. 16, 1999. 

The co-chair of a legislative task force on offshore drilling editorialized against it last year.

In a guest editorial in the Charlotte Observer on Sept. 3, Doug Rader wrote that drilling for oil and natural gas off the coast of North Carolina will not reduce gas prices, jeopardize the state's fishing industry and threaten rare coral wilderness.

"The bottom line is clear: oil drilling off North Carolina's coast is not relevant to gas prices we are likely to experience in the coming decades," he wrote.

Rader was appointed by House Speaker Joe Hackney to co-chair a task force that will spend as much as $100,000 and up to a year looking into offshore drilling.

The chief ocean scientist for the Environmental Defense Fund, he served on a panel for Republican Gov. Jim Martin in 1989-90 which came out against exploratory drilling off the coast.

After the jump, the editorial.

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Senate leader Marc Basnight chose experts on marine policy and oil and coastal officials for a task force on offshore drilling.

The Manteo Democrat named half of the 24 members of a task force that could spend as much as $100,000 and over a year looking into the state's position on drilling off the coast.

Former UNC-Wilmington chancellor James Leutze was his pick for co-chair. Leutze is a member of the Coastal Resources Commission and former member of the Marine Fisheries Commission.

Overall, Basnight's appointees include more scientists and local officials than industry representatives.

Other appointees include professors of nuclear engineering, marine sciences, marine affairs and environmental policy; representatives of natural gas and petroleum interests; a mayor, editor and publisher from coastal towns; and a Chamber of Commerce head from the coast.

After the jump, the names and job titles of Basnight's other 11 appointees.

Related: Hackney's appointees to drilling task force

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If you've been scrambling to organize your thoughts about offshore drilling while trying to fit in last-minute gift shopping, relax.

The federal Minerals Management Service has extended the public comment period for its proposal to lease waters off Virginia to oil and natural gas companies for drilling, Barb Barrett reports.

The agency announced in November it wants to begin environmental assessments on the region and needs public input.

The agency extended its deadline to Jan. 13, from Dec. 29. The agency said the 15-day extension was reasonable given the holiday period.

The agency’s proposal and a map of the proposed area can be found online here.

Comments can be sent via email to sale220@mms.gov, or by snail mail to the address after the jump.

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The federal government made its first move Thursday toward drilling off Virginia.

The U.S. Department of the Interior issued a call for public comments as it begins considering the environmental effects of offshore drilling.

That would be the first step toward opening 2.9 million acres of waters to leasing in 2011.

The move will be closely followed in North Carolina, where the Outer Banks is just southwest of the area being considered.

"In some ways, North Carolina is the next place after Virginia that ... the federal government would like to go," said Michael Gravitz of Environment America, a coalition of state environmental organizations. "Virginia is the first chink in the Atlantic Coast armor."

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr supports offshore drilling, and Sen.-elect Kay Hagan has backed a compromise bill that would have allowed for some drilling. Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue has said she will appoint a panel of experts to look into the issue. (N&O)