A federal district court of Louisiana decided today to lift the six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling imposed by President Obama in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Oil industry groups challenged the moratorium on the grounds it caused irreparable economic harm to its business servicing deepwater drilling in the Gulf.
The ongoing Deepwater Horizon catastrophe has already cost billions of dollars to fishing and tourism industries in the Gulf of Mexico, in addition to harming priceless coastal habitat and wildlife.
Jamie Rappaport Clark said, ”It is astonishing that even as oil continues to spew into the Gulf of Mexico, oil companies are fighting the Obama administration’s reasonable and measured pause on offshore drilling. We are extremely disappointed with today’s ruling but will continue to oppose the industry’s recklessness and disregard for American waters, natural resources and coastal communities.”
Read Defenders’ full statement.
Defenders of Wildlife leads the pack when it comes to protecting wild animals and plants in their natural communities.
Incredibly sad that this disaster is still unfolding, and yet we haven’t learned anything from it!
If it’s economy and job-loss they’re worried about in LA, then why don’t they put them to work in the cleanup or the clean-energy industry?!
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