Judge Won't Delay His Ruling to Lift Moratorium

A federal judge in New Orleans has refused to delay his decision to strike down a 6-month moratorium on deepwater drilling imposed after the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The Justice Department had asked US District Judge Martin Feldman to stay his ruling while it appeals to the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals later this summer.

Earlier this week, Feldman (the same judge who's taken flak for his investments in the oil industry) struck down the Interior Department's decision to halt approval of new permits for deepwater projects and suspend drilling on 33 exploratory wells. The Justice Department says in court papers that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has instructed all employees to not take any action to enforce the moratorium. (More offshore drilling stories.)