Environmental groups want access to ANWR records

by The Associated Press

An environmental law firm is asking that the White House and Department of Interior release any documents relating to recent discussions on opening the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

The Anchorage-based Trustees for Alaska, representing three environmental groups, made the request the last week in February under the Freedom of Information Act. The action comes as administration officials ponder a court order to turn over information on national energy policy discussions last year.

In particular, the FOIA request asks for information on who has talked with Cam Toohey, Drue Pearce and Karl Rove. Toohey, in Anchorage, and Pearce, in Washington, are special assistants to Interior Secretary Gale Norton. Rove is the White House political strategist.

The information request also asks whether the administration has told federal biologists not to talk to the public and media about the refuge.

The Natural Resources Defense Council made a similar request to the Department of Energy to obtain information on the administration’s national energy policy meetings last year. On Feb. 26, a court ordered the department to provide the information by March 25.

The other two groups making the request are the National Wildlife Federation and The Wilderness Society.