By
Cat Viglienzoni - July 13, 2010
Third time's a charm - at least, that's what the Obama
administration hopes for its latest attempt at a deepwater drilling moratorium in
the Gulf of Mexico. They unveiled a new drilling freeze to replace the one
thrown out by a federal judge.
The new ban is not much different from the original one,
but it defines deepwater drilling operators differently, which the
administration hopes will be enough to allow it to pass judicial scrutiny. The
two previous moratorium attempts have been struck down by judges, who said the
government failed to show there would be "irreparable injury" if the moratorium
was not enacted.
The new ban would also end by Nov. 30 or sooner. It would
not affect existing offshore platforms, only new projects seeking permitting.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar also said it focuses on the type of drilling
technology being used rather than the depth of the water.
"I remain open to modifying the new deepwater
drilling suspensions based on new information," he said, "but
industry must raise the bar on its practices and answer fundamental questions
about deepwater safety, blowout prevention and containment, and oil spill
response."
The new ban also extends beyond the Gulf to include the
Pacific region. Previously, the moratorium had been restricted to deepwater
operations in the Gulf of Mexico. The administration maintains the ban is
necessary for safety and investigation. They say a pause will give operators
time to demonstrate they can respond to a spill and assess their plans for
response in the event of an accident. They say it would also allow for time to
collect information about the April 20 explosion that triggered the worst
environmental disaster in U.S. history.
However, industry members and pro-drilling lawmakers have
criticized the moratorium, saying it contradicts expert testimony given in
hearings and ignores the history of drilling in the region.
"It is unnecessary and shortsighted to shut down a
major part of the nation's energy lifeline while working to enhance offshore
safety," said president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute Jack
Gerard. "The new moratorium threatens enormous harm to the nation and to
the Gulf region."
However, environmental groups expressed support for the
moratorium, calling it a necessary safety precaution.
(Photo
courtesy: AP Images)
