AUSTIN, Texas: In the wake of the British Petroleum (BP) offshore oil rig disaster, which has caused untold damage, both economically as well as ecologically, to the Southern coastline of the United States, the Obama administration has placed a six-month moratorium on any further offshore drilling operations in the area.[1] A number of Gulf Coast states, in particular Texas and Louisiana, whose local economies depend on offshore drilling, are challenging the White House in court over the issue. Attorney General of Texas Greg Abbott, after filing legal action against the federal government, argued that "under federal law, affected states are guaranteed the right to participate in offshore drilling-related policy decisions, but the Obama administration did not bother to communicate, coordinate or cooperate with Texas."[2] This latest suit marks the third time the two-term AG has clashed with the Obama administration in court. Earlier in the year, he argued against carbon emission regulations imposed by the EPA and the federally mandate on health insurance.
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