Obama Pushes for Moratorium

President Obama asked a federal appeals court Tuesday to reinstate a moratorium on deepwater drilling to prevent another spill like the current disastrous one in the Gulf of the Mexcio, on the same day that tar balls began washing up on Texas’ shores. In June a judge had blocked the moratorium, saying the Interior Department had underestimated the economic impact of such an act. Justice Department officials requested a six-month suspension of drilling in more than 500 feet of water, similar to the moratorium imposed immediately after the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded on April 20th. But in Louisiana, officials say a ban on drilling will cripple their already-suffering economy.