LAFAYETTE, La. – Thousands of people filled an auditorium in Lafayette to protest the moratorium on oil drilling that they say is making them unemployed.
Republican politicians led the speeches, but people weren't just talking politics – they were also talking paychecks.
“We have come to send a simple message to Washington D.C. It’s very simple. We want them to hear this: Let our people work,” said Gov. Bobby Jindal.
Many of the protestors were oil workers who said they do not want an unemployment check; they want to go back to work.
One oil worker said the deepwater rigs are leaving to drill outside of other countries.
"I'm going to work overseas now,” said oil worker Jeremy Evans. “I'm not going to be home nearly as much and probably taking a $25,000 pay cut.”
There were 33 deepwater drills in the Gulf, one owned by Diamond Offshore, already took one of its rigs to Egypt. It was the first to abandon the US after a ban on deepwater drilling. President Barack Obama said they need the ban to allow time for new safety standards to be implemented and a commission to investigate the cause of the April 20 blowout.
But on Wednesday, state leaders said the judge who initially ordered the moratorium to be lifted said it was capricious.
“Mr. President, I get the fact that you don't like oil and gas companies. But this moratorium is not holding the stock holders of BP, or Exxon or Chevron; this moratorium is hurting the Cheramies, and the Callais, and the Dupuis, and the Roberts and the Boudreauxs, and the Thibodeauxs,” said Lt. Gov. Scott Angelle.
The moratorium is in effect through Nov. 30. Ken Salazar said it could be modified or lifted in specific cases if drillers can answer questions about drilling safety, oil containment and adequacy of response in case of an oil spill.
Lawyers are still fighting the ban in federal court right now.
