A federal judge Wednesday blasted the Obama administration for "determined disregard" of his order to lift a ban on offshore oil and gas drilling last year, giving fresh ammunition to the oil industry and its allies on Capitol Hill who want the Interior Department to speed approvals of new offshore drilling projects.
The ruling by Judge Martin Feldman of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana means the Interior Department could have to reimburse Hornbeck Offshore Services LLC, a Louisiana drilling company, for the costs of litigation that the firm brought last year challenging the legality of the drilling moratorium. . . . .
In his ruling, Judge Feldman said Hornbeck was owed the money because the government's conduct amounted to contempt of court. [Emph. added]
Hornbeck may get reimbursed. Too bad, the judge cannot order the Administration to reimburse the whole country for damage done to health care and the economy.
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