Federal judge blocks Biden administration's restrictions on Gulf of Mexico oil lease sale
- A federal judge in Louisiana ordered the Biden administration to include millions more acres in an upcoming Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease sale.
- The administration had sought to protect endangered Rice's whales by excluding acreage and implementing vessel restrictions.
- Louisiana and oil industry groups sued to block the restrictions, arguing they would negatively impact drilling operations.
- Environmental groups expressed concerns that expanding the lease sale would threaten the whale species.
- The judge's injunction requires the administration to proceed with the original broader lease sale by September 30.
The Hill 