Bush official says ANWR battle not finished

by The Associated Press

The battle over oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is not over yet, a Bush administration official told an oil and gas conference here.

The U.S. Senate last month rejected a proposal to open the protected refuge to drilling, rejecting arguments that the oil is needed for the nation’s security. The administration repeatedly has cited development of the refuge’s oil as a centerpiece of its energy policy.

Rebecca Watson, assistant secretary of the Interior for lands and minerals, contended May 8 that the Senate vote came in response to a public that doesn’t fully comprehend the relationship between domestic drilling and oil imports.

“We should be asking ourselves: ‘What more can we do to make the public understand this critical tie-in?’“ Watson said.

The administration believes it’s up to the oil and gas industry to bring together their interests, environmental needs and legislative decision-makers, she said as she pitched the White House’s energy policy.