Secretary Salazar's Statement Regarding the Moratorium on Deepwater Drilling

06/22/2010
Last edited 09/29/2021

WASHINGTON, DC – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar issued the following statement regarding a decision today in U.S. District Court regarding the deepwater drilling moratorium:

“The decision to impose a moratorium on deepwater drilling was and is the right decision. The moratorium is needed to protect the communities and the environment of the Gulf Coast, and DOJ is therefore appealing today's court ruling.

“We see clear evidence every day, as oil spills from BP's well, of the need for a pause on deepwater drilling. That evidence mounts as BP continues to be unable to stop its blowout, notwithstanding the huge efforts and help from the federal scientific team and most major oil companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico. The evidence also continues to mount that industry needs to raise the bar on blowout prevention, containment, and response planning before deepwater drilling should continue.

“Based on this ever-growing evidence, I will issue a new order in the coming days that eliminates any doubt that a moratorium is needed, appropriate, and within our authorities.”

# # #

  • Press Release
    Oil and gas rig on ocean
    11/20/2025

    Interior Launches Expansive 11th National Offshore Leasing Program to Advance U.S. Energy…

    The Department of the Interior today announced a Secretary’s Order titled “Unleashing American Offshore Energy,” directing the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to take the necessary steps, in accordance with federal law, to terminate the restrictive Biden 2024–2029 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program and replace it with a new, expansive 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program by October 2026. As part of this directive, the Department is releasing the Secretary’s Draft Proposed Program for the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program.

    Read more

Was this page helpful?

Please provide a comment