Lafayette, LA – U.S. Representative Charles W. Boustany, Jr., (R-Southwest Louisiana), today applauded a U.S. Court of Appeals decision to allow deepwater oil and gas production to continue, reaffirming a District Court ruling that the federal government acted arbitrarily and failed to consult with the state government before enacting the moratorium.

"The U.S. Court of Appeals decision shows the Obama Administration and Secretary Salazar acted irrationally,” said Boustany. “I urge the Administration to begin reviewing offshore permit applications and after a thorough vetting process to approve those applications that qualify.  Unfairly slowing the review process is a de-facto moratorium, which will make America more dependent on foreign energy and cost Louisiana thousands of jobs.”

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