Judge denies stay in moratorium ruling

epa01155999 In this file picture provided by Mexico's national oil company Pemex and dated 02 March 2007 an offshore oil installation is seen in the gulf of Mexico near the coast of Campeche, Mexico. At least 18 oil workers were killed when a drilling platform hit an oil rig, spilling gas and oil into the Gulf of Mexico, Pemex informed 24 October 2007. Another seven workers are still missing. EPA/ALFREDO GUERRERO HO EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Offshore drilling: Judge denies administration request for stay.

ALFREDO GUERRERO HO

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Noah Brenner

 24 June 2010 17:17 GMT

A US judge refused today to put on hold his decision blocking the federal government from enforcing its six-month ban on deep-water oil drilling after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.



District Judge Martin Feldman in New Orleans rejected the Obama administration's request to stay his decision that allowed deep-water drilling to resume.

The Interior Department suspended drilling after the ruptured BP well began gushing oil into the Gulf more than two months ago.

Fifteen hours after the Justice Department appealed Feldman's ruling and requested a stay pending that appeal, Feldman issued a brief order denying the request for the same reasons he gave in his Tuesday decision, according to a Reuters report.

In that opinion, Feldman strongly criticised the Obama administration's moratorium,…

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