The U.S. federal judge who overturned deepwater drilling ban in the Gulf of Mexico, had shares in the energy industry, media reported on Wednesday.
District Judge Martin Feldman's most recent financial disclosure forms showed that he owned roughly 15,000 U.S. dollars in Transocean Ltd. stock in 2008, the firm that owned the Deepwater oil rig that exploded in April killing 11 oil workers, prompting America's worst environmental disaster.
The forms also showed that Feldman sold shares in Halliburton, which was also involved in the disaster.
Feldman's other interests included Ocean Energy, Quicksilver Resources, Prospect Energy, Peabody Energy, Pengrowth Energy Trust, Atlas Energy Resources, and Parker Drilling.
Feldman in New Orleans, Louisiana issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday against the moratorium, which halted all drilling in more than 500 feet of water and prevented new permits from being issued,
Feldman said that Obama's drilling moratorium was unjustified because it assumed that all deepwater drilling was as dangerous as BP's.
U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced Tuesday that he will issue a new order on a moratorium just hours after Feldman blocked such a mandate.
"I will issue a new order in the coming days that eliminates any doubt that a moratorium is needed, appropriate, and within our authorities," Salazar said in a statement.
"We see clear evidence every day, as oil spills from BP's well, of the need for a pause on deepwater drilling," Salazar said. "That evidence mounts as BP continues to be unable to stop its blowout, notwithstanding the huge efforts and help from the federal scientific team and most major oil companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico."
District Judge Martin Feldman's most recent financial disclosure forms showed that he owned roughly 15,000 U.S. dollars in Transocean Ltd. stock in 2008, the firm that owned the Deepwater oil rig that exploded in April killing 11 oil workers, prompting America's worst environmental disaster.
The forms also showed that Feldman sold shares in Halliburton, which was also involved in the disaster.
Feldman's other interests included Ocean Energy, Quicksilver Resources, Prospect Energy, Peabody Energy, Pengrowth Energy Trust, Atlas Energy Resources, and Parker Drilling.
Feldman in New Orleans, Louisiana issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday against the moratorium, which halted all drilling in more than 500 feet of water and prevented new permits from being issued,
Feldman said that Obama's drilling moratorium was unjustified because it assumed that all deepwater drilling was as dangerous as BP's.
U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced Tuesday that he will issue a new order on a moratorium just hours after Feldman blocked such a mandate.
"I will issue a new order in the coming days that eliminates any doubt that a moratorium is needed, appropriate, and within our authorities," Salazar said in a statement.
"We see clear evidence every day, as oil spills from BP's well, of the need for a pause on deepwater drilling," Salazar said. "That evidence mounts as BP continues to be unable to stop its blowout, notwithstanding the huge efforts and help from the federal scientific team and most major oil companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico."
