In a ruling handed down Tuesday, the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals blocked US District Judge Martin Feldman's order that federal regulators had 30 days to make a decision on several drilling permits for projects in the Gulf of Mexico.

摘要

Feldman ruled Feb. 17 that the government must act on five applications for London-based Ensco within 30 days -- amending his order a short time later to include two other permit applications by Houston-based ATP Oil & Gas. The stay blocks Feldman's order pending the outcome of the federal government's appeal of his ruling.