Opening up: The government will offer tens of millions of acres in the western Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas drilling for the first time since last year’s massive oil spill. The Dec. 14 auction, announced today, is the first since the April 20 explosion that started the three-month spill, which catalyzed an overhaul of the offshore drilling agency and safety regulations. The Interior Department said it would charge a minimum of $100 per acre for the right to explore in deeper waters to ensure that tracts are drilled. The previous minimum was $37.50. The Obama administration has been criticized for being slow to issue drilling permits and expand production since the disaster.
Second time to be nominated: Jeff Taylor, Livingston Parish assessor, has been nominated for a Distinguished Assessment Jurisdiction Award by the International Association of Assessing Officers. Taylor will be honored at the IAAO conference in Phoenix next month. The distinguished assessment award goes to agencies that institute programs that are components of model assessment systems. This is the second time Taylor has been nominated for a distinguished assessment award; he was first up for one in 2008.
