McClatchy Newspapers: The US government has taken the first step in 25 years toward offshore drilling in the mid-Atlantic region, launching a study of a potential exploration area just north of the North Carolina border. The 2.9m-acre study area off the Virginia coast is within 55 miles of the North Carolina coast. The US Minerals Management Service said yesterday it would prepare an environmental-impact study, beginning a 45-day public comment period. A decision whether to sell leases to the area …