NEW ORLEANS - About 50 opponents of continued oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico rallied on the sidewalk and then brought their chants into a public meeting about potential impacts of continuing the lease program for five more years.

For a few minutes, they stood in a circle in a hotel meeting room where the federal agency in charge of oil and gas leases had set up stations for its officials to talk with people. After a couple of short speeches, they chanted "The Gulf is not for sale!" and clapped in time.

Then they drifted into quiet conversations with federal officials.

Jayeesha Dutta of the Gulf Future Coalition talked with Bruce Brown, chief environmental officer for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

She said the administration should listen to opponents of Gulf drilling, as it has to those against drilling off the Atlantic Coast.

Brown encouraged her to say so in writing, at tables set up to take comments.