AR-News: (CA) Alaska governor invites drilling in state waters off National Wildlife Refu

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

Updated at 8:36 on April 1, 2004, EST.


JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Gov. Frank Murkowski says he will open lease sales in 
state waters offshore of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the National 
Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. 
Citing frustration with what he calls "America's extreme environmental 
community," Murkowski said he will do what he can as governor to spur Arctic oil 
development. 
"While the U.S. House and Senate remain gridlocked over opening ANWR for oil 
development, I am not burdened by that process," said Murkowski, who spent 22 
years in the U.S. Senate before becoming governor in 2002. 
The oil and gas lease sales are planned for October. State waters extend 
about five kilometres into the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. 
It is unclear how much of the area will be leased, but the two areas amount 
to about 1 million acres. About 270,000 hectares of submerged lands lie off the 
coast of the petroleum reserve and 140,000 hectares are off the coast of the 
wildlife refuge. 
The lease sales, scheduled for October, could lead to oil production wells to 
offset the nation's dependance on foreign oil, Murkowski said. 





full story:

http://www3.cjad.com/content/cjad_news/article.asp?id=w040108A 
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