Federal court lifts moratorium on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico

Exposes Gulf to repeat oil spill disasters

Summary:

• 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.

The following is a statement from Jamie Rappaport Clark, executive vice president of Defenders of Wildlife:

”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.”

See how Defenders is responding to the Gulf oil disaster. 

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