Rep. Pombo pitches 'ridiculous alternatives' to Alaska drilling
Friday, September 23, 2005
BY ERICA WERNER
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
Want to buy a national park? Get a deal to drill for oil off the coastline?
Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., is proposing to sell off such assets to make a point about worse alternatives to drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, his spokesman said Friday.
The proposals have raised the ire of Democrats and environmentalists.
The House Resources Committee, which Pombo chairs, must produce a bill showing how it can save $2.4 billion over five years. It's part of a process in which congressional committees are being told to generate savings to help Republican congressional leaders cut the deficit.
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"This isn't a wild proposal from some back bencher. This is headed for the House budget bill," said Philip Clapp, president of the National Environmental Trust. "Instead of cutting pork projects, U.S. Rep. Pombo would rather sell parks and national monuments."
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