Landrieu Supports Hold On Interior Department Nominee

Sen. Landrieu said:

“I support Senator Vitter’s hold on the confirmation of a new director for the Fish and Wildlife Service until the Interior Department issues new deepwater permits. This is certainly a prerogative that Senators have and one I have exercised in the past on this issue.  Louisiana’s congressional delegation will continue to apply pressure on the administration to end what amounts to an ongoing moratorium on oil and gas drilling that is costing Louisiana thousands of jobs, killing our economy in South Louisiana and is jeopardizing national security.

“Since the oil spill, Interior has issued only 31 shallow water permits, only one exploratory permit and no new deepwater drilling permits. This obstructive bureaucratic foot-dragging must stop.  We will be paying particularly close attention to how the department handles Shell Oil’s pending application for a deepwater permit.”