Judge halts construction of oil pipeline in Louisiana on eco concerns

New York

A FEDERAL judge in Louisiana on Friday revoked a permit for Energy Transfer Partners' Bayou Bridge crude oil pipeline, halting work on a portion of the project following protests by local and environmental groups.

The decision by US District Judge Shelly Dick in Baton Rouge underscores the growing clashes between energy pipeline operators expanding operations to accommodate new oil and gas flows from US shale fields and environmentalists concerned about spills and other hazards.