Obama Issues New Drilling Moratorium

Take two: The Obama administration issued a revised moratorium on offshore drilling on Monday after a judge threw out its first attempt last week. Unlike the first moratorium, which banned all offshore drilling, the new moratorium will only ban drilling in deepwater exploratory reserves, while allowing it to continue in known, shallow reserves. The purpose of the ban is to “protect communities, coasts, and wildlife,” while energy companies boost their safety measures. The ban will be effective through November 30 or until Interior Secretary Ken Salazar decides to rescind it—or, of course, if a judge decides once again to overturn it. Corporate interests are likely to challenge the new measure again.