Obama to focus on domestic energy at Vegas stop

President Obama is expected to detail plans to promote domestic energy as he visits Las Vegas and Denver on Thursday as part of a sales tour for his election-year agenda.

Obama will announce an oil and natural gas lease sale in the central Gulf of Mexico, scheduled for late June, according to senior administration officials. During a morning visit to a UPS facility in Las Vegas, the president will push the idea of using natural gas to power commercial trucks, the officials said.

Following his State of the Union address earlier this week, Obama set off on a five-state tour to detail his economic plans for expanding manufacturing and improving the skills of American workers. Thursday is devoted to detailing what he calls his “all of the above” strategy on energy.

As part of that strategy, the Interior Department is disclosing plans for a June lease sale for oil and gas development of about 38 acres in the gulf. While in Las Vegas, Obama also plans to announce the opening of a liquefied natural gas corridor from Long Beach, Calif., to Salt Lake City.

He’s also expected to address policies aides say promote the use of natural gas, in part through new tax incentives for companies that promote the use of trucks powered by natural gas.