FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS DEEP WATER DRILLING MORATORIUM

A federal judge in New Orleans on Tuesday blocked a six-month moratorium on deep-water drilling projects that the Obama administration imposed in response to the vast oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The White House said the administration would appeal the decision. United States District Judge Martin Feldman issued a preliminary injunction against the enforcement of a May 28 order halting all floating offshore drilling projects in more than 500 feet of water and preventing the government from issuing new permits for such activity. Judge Feldman a Ronald Reagan appointe cited the economic harm the moratorium would incur.