WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - A federal judge in Louisiana has ordered an expansion of next week's sale of oil leases in the Gulf of Mexico, saying the Biden administration must include additional acreage, according to a court ruling issued late on Thursday.
U.S. District Judge James Cain said the Interior Department must proceed with the lease sale by Sept. 30, the ruling said.
Environment groups had opposed including the additional acres, citing the need for adequate safeguards for the endangered Rice's whale.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management had no comment on the ruling, which was reported earlier by Bloomberg News.
Reporting by Jarret Renshaw and Susan Heavey; Editing by Doina ChiacuOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Persons:
Biden, James Cain, Jarret Renshaw, Susan Heavey, Doina
Organizations:
Interior Department's, of Ocean Energy Management, District, Interior Department, Department of, American Petroleum Institute, Bloomberg News, Thomson
Locations:
Louisiana, Gulf of Mexico, U.S