From Politico:
The Obama administration is preparing to end the ban on deepwater oil and gas drilling imposed after the BP oil disaster in April, lifting it more than a month ahead of schedule, POLITICO has learned. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is set to make the official announcement during a conference call 1 p.m. Tuesday. The administration has been subject to constant political pressure from Gulf state lawmakers and the oil and gas industry concerned about job losses attributed to the ban, which covers drilling along the outer continental shelf more than 1,000 feet down.
