|
Stevens: Gas prices going ‘up and up’ Alaska senator calls for more oil and gas exploration in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and elsewhere in the United States The Associated Press
Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, says gasoline prices are going “up and up and up” and the nation needs to expand exploration for domestic oil resources to keep pace — citing the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska as a good place to start.
Asked if gasoline prices would reach $3.50 a gallon this summer, the veteran senator said, “We’ve predicted the price of gas is going to go up and up and up because we’re competing with the global economy now for our imports. We didn’t have to do that 20 years ago. ... Almost 60 percent of our oil comes from offshore now.”
Stevens spoke April 11 with KOMO-TV during a tour of security upgrades at the Port of Seattle.
“There are many places in the United States we could explore and develop for oil — not just the arctic coastal plain,” he said, referring to the wildlife refuge.
Cantwell has opposed opening ANWR Stevens so far has not succeeded in winning congressional approval for exploration in the reserve — in large part due to opposition from Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who is seeking a second term this fall.
Stevens recently resurrected the proposal, which is strongly supported by the White House.
“We need to keep up the pace of trying to locate and develop domestic oil resources. That amount that’s going out on a daily basis is hemorrhaging our economy,” Stevens said.
“The more we develop those resources, the more that money’s spent here at home and energizes our own economy,” he said.
Stevens visited the Puget Sound area on his way home to Alaska, where he is planning a fundraiser for Washington state Republican Senate hopeful Mike McGavick, the former CEO of Seattle-based insurance giant Safeco. McGavick is challenging Cantwell.
Asked if he was out to defeat Cantwell, Stevens said, “I’ve never even mentioned her name. That is absolutely wrong. ... I’ve done everything she ever asked me to do.
“I did say the senator from Washington made a mistake on the vote last December — that’s the only thing I’ve ever said about her.”
Cantwell has been the Senate Democrats’ point person for trying to block the arctic drilling.
On the Senate floor in December, after Cantwell led a successful move to block adding authorization for the drilling to a defense spending bill, Stevens angrily told colleagues who joined her, “I’m going to go to every one of your states and I’m going to tell them what you’ve done.
“I’m sure the senator of Washington will enjoy my visits to Washington, because I’m going to visit there often,” he said then. Effort on tanker traffic dropped Stevens also was asked if he was disappointed that Congress had barred increased capacity of Northwest refineries. He said he had not sought increased capacity — just full use of existing dock capacity as allowed by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Stevens was referring to a dock at the BP refinery, which was challenged for its impact on endangered species. The court ordered completion of a new environmental impact statement. BP currently is exploring whether its Cherry Point refinery or refineries in Indiana or Ohio would be the best destination for Alberta crude transported by pipeline.
Stevens recently dropped his efforts to loosen limits on oil tanker traffic in Puget Sound. He said his decision was due to personal lobbying by McGavick. They knew each other from the days when McGavick was top aide to former Sen. Slade Gorton, who was narrowly defeated by Cantwell six years ago.
As for port security, Stevens said there had been many improvements. “We’ve done a lot in ports, a tremendous amount,” he said, pointing out new surveillance cameras financed by federal grants.
“There’s a lot more to do,” Stevens added.
| 