There have been numerous reports published over the last few months about the impact of the administration's de facto drilling moratorium on jobs and the economy in the Gulf region. The latest report released yesterday is authored by LSU professor Dr. Joseph Mason who finds that the Gulf region will lose more than 19,500 jobs, $5 billion in economic activity and nearly $240 million in state and local tax revenues during the six-month moratorium.

It's important to note that the 19,536 job loss estimate from Mason's report is 40 to 60 percent higher than the 8,000 to 12,000 jobs lost that the Obama administration estimated earlier this month, reflecting a significant difference between the two studies.

In the report, Dr. Mason is critical of the administration's analysis:

The Inter-Agency... more »

A new Gallup poll shows Americans are divided down the middle over whether to lift the deepwater drilling moratorium. Overall, 47 percent of respondents say the ban should be lifted, while 46 percent say it should remain in place.

Interestingly, the poll also shows 64 percent of Democrats say the drilling freeze should continue, while 66 percent of Republicans favor removing the moratorium.

Political leanings aside, there's no doubt that the moratorium and the Department of the Interior's new offshore regulations are having a severe impact on oil and natural gas development. Vladimir at RedState points out that while our elected officials say they want energy independence, the "virtual shutdown of the Gulf of Mexico oil and gas business is the biggest, most dramatic retrenchment from that... more »