You’d think that it might be a no-brainer to take the Obama administration’s suggestion that perhaps, just maybe, deep-water drilling projects ought to be put on hold in light of the Gulf of Mexico mega-disaster and all. Well, not so much, according to a certain federal judge in Louisiana. –KA

The New York Times:

A federal judge in New Orleans on Tuesday blocked a six-month moratorium on deep-water drilling projects that the Obama administration had imposed in response to the vast oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The White House swiftly said the administration would appeal the decision.

In a 22-page ruling, Judge Martin L. C. Feldman of Federal District Court issued a preliminary injunction against the enforcement of a May 28 order halting all floating offshore drilling projects in more than 500 feet of water and preventing the government from issuing new permits for such projects.

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