Judge blocks moratorium

NEW ORLEANS, La. - A federal judge blocked the administration's six-month ban on new deepwater drilling that was imposed in the wake of an ongoing oil spill. The judge said the Interior Department failed to provide adequate reasoning. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar later said he'll issue a new moratorium in coming days with the reason it's needed. The request to overturn the moratorium came from several companies that provide services to offshore drilling rigs. (Source: Washington Post, 06/22/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has spewed into the Gulf of Mexico since. Efforts to capture oil from the well have improved incrementally. An oil slick remains in the Gulf of Mexico, generally moving eastward. Coastlines in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida have been soiled, and cleanup efforts are ongoing.