WASHINGTON — A six- month ban on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico would directly put more than 9,000 people out of work and indirectly affect another 14,000 jobs, according to a memo from the nation’s top drilling regulator.
The federal document, which weighed the economic impact and alternatives to the ban, was sent July 10 to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar by Michael Bromwich.
Salazar issued a moratorium in June, but it was struck down by a federal judge in New Orleans after oil and gas drilling interests said it wasn’t justified following the gulf oil spill. The Obama administration issued a new moratorium July 12 — two days after the memo — that stressed new evidence of safety concerns.
An Interior Department spokesman said the agency has been very clear that the economic impacts of the moratorium would need to be addressed and noted the Obama administration secured an agreement with BP to set up a $100 million fund for affected rig workers. The Associated Press
