The White House has told various news agencies that President Obama will today extend for another six months the partial moratorium on new offshore oil drilling permits in the Gulf. In addition, he will cancel proposed leases off Alaska and Virginia.

Reponding to a question from Maddow about Monday’s New York Times story that MMS was still issuing new permits despite the supposed moratorium announced by the President and Secretary Salazar, Energy Secretary Chu said that if it were up to him, he would impose a moratorium on all new offshore drilling activities whether or not they already had existing permits.