You may have heard that oil giant BP plans to once again drill in the Gulf of Mexico—maybe even as early as July (Guardian). But Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, who faced harsh criticisms during the Deepwater Horizon disaster last year, is on a mission to quash the headlines, saying the U.S. government does not have an agreement with BP to work in the Gulf, where a drilling ban is still in effect. In order for the company to operate in the Gulf again, he says it “must demonstrate access to equipment to contain spilled oil, and meet higher safety and environmental standards” (Bloomberg).

Salazar also used the occasion to comment on the news that Transocean, the contractor in charge of the Deepwater rig at the time of the explosion, recently boasted its “best year in safety performance” and issued bonuses as a result (Colorado Independent).

Back on land, the Colorado Petroleum Association is giving up on an attempt to bypass Colorado waste-disposal regulations “that protect land from drilling fluids” (Denver Post and Colorado Independent).