Noooooooooooo NOLA - Updated

This is crazy. A federal judge in NOLA just lifted the moratorium on deepwater drilling, ruling against the Obama administration's temporary ban. Assume there were some legal grounds to do so, but how insane to lift it even as the gusher continues to spew millions of barrels of oil into the gulf. They never should have been allowed to drill in the first place with such unproven, and now obviously under-tested technology. Unsurprisingly, the White House will immediately appeal.

That being said, I think I'm okay with shallow water drilling for existing wells. The tech has been proven and apparently pretty much works. Not that any spill would be good, but they know how to contain it and people do need to earn a living and like it or not, we do need oil to run the country. Also, one might assume that the operators will be extra careful at this point.

But BP should surely never be allowed to operate a rig in US waters, ever again. Thanks to reader Bryan for passing on this link to more proof of BP's criminal, cost-cutting negligence.

Update: This just in. The judge who overturned the drilling moratorium holds stock in drilling companies. A lot of stock apparently, including Transocean, who was operating the exploded BP rig.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]