Louisiana Senators to Interior Secretary: End Drilling Permit Logjam
Camilo Rodriguez /
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar traveled to Louisiana on Monday to meet with oil and gas executives whose industry has been suffering from a “de facto” drilling ban since the government’s moratorium was lifted. Both of the state’s senators said Salazar failed to adequately address the core issues causing the logjam.
Salazar’s trip to Houma to meet with industry leaders was made in exchange for Sen. Mary Landrieu’s (D-LA) lifting of her hold on Jack Lew, President Obama’s nominee to head the Office of Management and Budget. The state’s other senator, David Vitter (R-LA), told Salazar that the Obama administration needs to resolve at least a few big-picture issues to end the logjam on Gulf drilling permits.