The Obama administration imposed a new moratorium on off-shore drilling, after the first was one was struck down by a federal judge.

The suspension will continue through November 30, or until Interior Secretary Ken Salazar determines that deepwater drilling operations can proceed safely. The new directive applies to off-shore drilling in the Arctic Ocean, which Alaska Natives oppose.

The original moratorium was issued in May in response to the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. A federal judge said the decision was not supported by enough evidence.

Get the Story:
Sealing cap placed on oil well as Interior Dept. issues ban on offshore drilling (The Washington Post 7/13)
U.S. Issues Revised Offshore Drilling Ban (The New York Times 7/13)
New offshore oil moratorium not focused on depth (AP 7/12)

Court Decision:
Hornbeck Offshore Services v. Salazar (June 22, 2010)

Relevant Documents:
Press Release: Secretary Salazar Issues New Suspensions to Guide Safe Pause on Deepwater Drilling (July 12, 2010) | Secretary Salazar’s Statement Regarding the Moratorium on Deepwater Drilling (June 22, 2010) | Salazar Calls for New Safety Measures for Offshore Oil and Gas Operations; Orders Six Month Moratorium on Deepwater Drilling (May 27, 2010)

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