Jindal vs. Obama: Time to End the Drilling Moratorium
Mike Brownfield /
First there was Hurricane Katrina, then there was the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal now says that the newest threat to the economy of his state is President Barack Obama’s moratorium on deepwater drilling.
Jindal today joined in support of oil service companies who are suing to halt the six-month ban on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, issued by the Minerals Management Service on May 30. A federal district court judge is hearing arguments on the lawsuit today and will rule no later than Wednesday.
In an amicus brief filed with the court, Jindal argues that the moratorium is disastrous to his state’s economy:
The State of Louisiana, more than any other public or private entity, has been most adversely affected by the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The drilling moratorium imposed by [the government] will only compound the State’s problems, effectively turning an environmental disaster into an economic catastrophe for the State. Every day the moratorium is in effect costs the State untold millions of dollars.