June
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No deepwater drilling without environmental studies, says Obama admin
by Agence France-Presse 16 Aug 2010 10:44 PM
"WASHINGTON - The Obama administration announced on Monday that it will grant no more permits for deepwater oil exploration without requiring studies on their impact on the environment.
The Interior Department said it would award offshore drilling permits only to projects 'involving limited environmental risk' while it undertakes a comprehensive review of its procedures under U.S. environmental protection laws.
The administration imposed a moratorium on most offshore drilling activities until November following the Deepwater Horizon disaster, which released several million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico from a ruptured BP well.
The Bureau of Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM) said it has directed its staff not to grant 'categorical exclusions' for deepwater drilling activities even after the moratorium is lifted, the Interior Department said."
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