New U.S. oil drill ban depends on court decision

WASHINGTON/NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - The Obama administration said on Thursday it will immediately issue a revised ban on deepwater drilling if an appeals court bars it from reinstating the six-month moratorium it imposed in the wake of the BP oil spill.

However, the administration will not impose a new drilling ban if the federal court in New Orleans supports its initial moratorium, an Interior Department official told Reuters.