GOP Writes Oil-Friendly Drill Bill

House Republicans have drafted a national energy bill that would require the Interior Department to survey all national wildlife refuges, national forests and marine sanctuaries for oil, gas and coal deposits.

The bill, released Tuesday by the House Resources Committee, would also waive royalties the government is paid by private companies for some offshore drilling leases. Democrats estimate waiving those royalties would cost the federal government $7.4 billion.

Republicans say the goal of the bill is to smooth the way toward greater mining of coal and drilling of oil and natural gas.

Interior Secretary Gale Norton is expected to testify Wednesday before the House Resources Committee in support of the measure. Stephanie Hanna, spokeswoman for the Interior Department, said Norton would not comment prior to a news conference set for the morning.

Democrats immediately criticized the bill, called the "Energy Security Act."

Rep. Nick J. Rahall, D-W.V., the ranking Democrat on the committee, called the legislation an "assault" on both the nation's resources and on taxpayers.

"Republicans are proposing what amounts to the oil industry's wish list," Rahall said.

Democrats on the committee are working on an alternative to the Energy Security Act that Rahall said would be better balanced between meeting energy needs and protecting the environment.

"It must take into account that there are social and environmental costs to be energy development that must also be addressed," Rahall said.

The legislation would inventory mineral resources, such as coal and natural gas, on publicly held lands. It would not allow mining or drilling in wilderness areas or national parks, but would open all other public lands for exploration, including national conservation areas, national forests and rivers that are designated as "wild and scenic."

Congressman Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., a member of the Resources committee, said it was wise to survey public lands for mineral resources, even if those resources are never tapped.

"We've got to know what we've got, even if we're not going to develop it," Rehberg said. "Everyone talks about the trade deficit we're creating in this country, but a far more serious threat to America's future is the energy debt."

Republicans noted that the measure includes provisions for increasing production of energy from solar and wind power, renewable forms of energy that are credited as low-cost, nonpolluting alternatives.

The bill also would waive royalties that the United States collects from private companies that lease certain offshore oil fields owned by the government. For example, an oil company that drills from a water depth of 200 to 400 meters would not have to pay royalties on the first 17.5 million barrels of oil.

In 1995, Congress authorized a similar bill, the Deep Water Royalty Relief Act. At that time, the proponents of lifting royalties on drilling argued that it was necessary to counter low oi prices.

By CHRISTOPHER THORNE
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