Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Democrat from Louisiana, has taken the unusual step of blocking the confirmation of a Democratic administration's appointee. She says she will not allow a vote on Jack Lew, President Obama's choice for OMB director, until the offshore drilling moratorium is lifted.

In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, she writes, "I do not take this step lightly. But the fact is that the Administration's moratorium on new energy exploration is profoundly impacting the economy of the Gulf coast, while doing nothing to improve safety or environmental performance."

Landrieu also asserts that the administration doesn't understand the effect of the moratorium on Gulf Coast families. She says both deepwater and shallow-water drilling have "been brought to a standstill," hurting... more »

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is a billboard covered with thousands of signatures worth?

This billboard, overlooking I-10 in Louisiana, is covered with the signatures of the estimated 11,000 people who attended the Rally for Economic Survival at the Cajundome. Many were energy workers whose jobs are threatened by the drilling moratorium. Others are Gulf Coast residents who support oil patch activities and depend on the energy business for their livelihoods.

At the hearing on drilling safety in New Orleans yesterday, Louisiana Lt. Gov. Scott Angelle delivered an impassioned speech about the moratorium's impact on the Gulf Coast community. "It's about JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!" he said.

"Jobs will be affected not only on the rigs--but also in the service industries--the welders,... more »

Michael Bromwich, director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM), refused to give a date for ending the offshore drilling moratorium yesterday. In New Orleans at the first of eight public hearings on drilling safety, Bromwich only said "there will be a very serious, sustained effort" to shorten the moratorium. (AP)

API's Holly Hopkins attended the hearing and reported that many speakers supported a swift end to the administration's drilling freeze:

• Rep. Joseph Cao (R-LA) argued that BOEM is not being efficient in issuing shallow-water drilling permits and isn't adequately addressing the need for the moratorium;

• David Camardelle, the mayor of Grand Isle, recalled that President Obama said he would end the moratorium when the well was capped. No oil... more »

The effects of the six-month deepwater drilling moratorium are becoming manifest along the Gulf Coast. Published reports say rig hands in-training are abandoning plans to work in the offshore energy industry and are looking for jobs in the cleanup effort.

"There's jobs doing everything down there right now: Crew boats, tug boats, heavy equipment. Whatever best offer I get is where I will start off," said trainee Rodney Phillips. (AP)

The halt in deepwater drilling and the oil spill not only promise to disrupt the... more »

In today's episode, I interview Chris John, president of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association, about Louisiana's response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the importance of continuing offshore development.

Use the audio player below to listen to information about the article and follow along with the show notes. I hope you find the podcast informative.

00:17 BP reported last week that approximately 30,000 people have volunteered to help clean up the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. So far, BP reports that 4,000 of these volunteers have been trained. The strong interest in the clean-up does not come as a surprise to Chris John, president of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association. He's on the phone today to help describe how Louisiana is responding to the spill... more »