The end of the ban means activity will resume on about 30 oil rigs similar to the one pictured above during the next several months. The ban was lifted about 50 days before it would have expired. (Creative Commons)

The White House issued a moratarium on drilling following the BP oil spill. Congress, the White House and the Interior Department spent the summer developing new regulations and safety inspections that will allow the oil rigs to go back into service. Companies may now start filing new paperwork and meeting the tougher regulations.

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