Federal judge gives Interior 30 days to decide on deepwater drilling permits

A Louisiana federal judge critical of Interior Department offshore drilling restrictions on Thursday gave the department 30 days to decide whether to issue five deepwater drilling permits for Gulf of Mexico projects.

Judge Martin Feldman’s order features his latest attacks on drilling restrictions imposed after the BP oil spill, alleging that permitting delays have “become increasingly unreasonable.”

{mosads}Interior lifted a formal ban on deepwater permits in October but has yet to resume permitting. Thursday’s order mandates decisions on five permit applications in which Ensco Offshore Co. – one of the companies that has sued Interior over drilling restrictions – has a stake.

“The plaintiff has also shown the threatened injury outweighs any harm that will result to the government if preliminary relief is granted and that the injunction will not disserve the public interest,” wrote Feldman, a judge with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

“As the first anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon disaster draws near, any reason that would have justified delays has, under a rule of reason, expired,” his order states.

The order comes as Republicans and pro-drilling Democrats are already attacking Interior over the lack of new deepwater permits since the formal ban expired.

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) is already blocking the confirmation of Dan Ashe, President Obama’s choice to lead the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, until 15 deepwater permits are issued.

Vitter is also blocking confirmation of a top Commerce Department scientist due to concerns about Obama administration drilling policy.

“I applaud this ruling today. It confirms what Sen. Landrieu and I have been saying along with virtually every other Louisianian: President Obama’s continuing de facto moratorium in the Gulf is inexcusable,” Vitter said in a statement Thursday.

“The President’s de facto moratorium is destroying American jobs, hurting our economy and forcing businesses to move overseas,” added Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.

The Interior Department did not provide immediate comment on Feldman’s order. The department has toughened offshore safety rules in the wake of the BP spill and says oil companies must show compliance with the beefed-up standards before new permits will be issued.

Michael Bromwich, Interior’s top offshore drilling regulator, recently said that he expects permitting to resume before mid-year.