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Gold/Mining/Energy : coastal caribbean (cco@) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Edwin S. Fujinaka who wrote (1143)	11/22/1999 1:32:00 PM
From: Edwin S. Fujinaka	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 4686

Just some stuff for the record. Is this political or what? <G>: Bradley Chides Gore on Oil Drilling By Tessie Borden Associated Press Writer Thursday, Nov. 18, 1999; 11:32 p.m. EST LOS ANGELES ?? Days after California sued the federal government over offshore oil leases, Bill Bradley on Thursday criticized Vice President Al Gore for not pressuring President Clinton to ban new drilling off the state's coast. Bradley said his Democratic presidential rival should have done more to prevent Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt from extending 36 undeveloped oil leases. Babbitt's decision last week gives oil companies more time to work on exploration and development plans, outraging California officials who want to protect the coastline. Bradley acknowledged that Gore has said he would go further than the Clinton administration and ban all drilling in existing and future leases, but noted that Babbitt's decision came while Gore is in office. Babbitt made his announcement just weeks after Gore pledged to ban all drilling off the coasts of California and Florida if elected. "That shows either you're inefficient or you're not really against it," Bradley said during a stop at a Logan Elementary School, where he promoted after-school programs. The former senator from New Jersey said he strongly opposes the lease extensions and applauded Gov. Gray Davis' decision to sue the federal government for the right to participate in the decision. "I believe these leases are important to California," Bradley said. "I don't believe the oil companies should be able to hold them in perpetuity." Critics have said the administration should have simply allowed the leases to expire in offshore fields from San Luis Obispo south to Ventura. Oil drilling has been controversial here since a 1969 platform blowout blackened the Santa Barbara Channel. Gore campaign spokesman Chris Lehane said Bradley's comments show that his campaign is becoming desperate and negative. "Al Gore has gone further than any other candidate in calling for a ban on future leases and a ban on development of all nonproducing leases," Lehane said. "We did not hear Senator Bradley talking about this issue until Al Gore made it an issue." Gore, a longtime environmentalist and author of "Earth in the Balance," issued his proposal last month as state and federal officials battled over the future of undeveloped leases in federal waters off the southern part of this key electoral state. Oil companies collectively paid $1.25 billion for 40 leases purchased in that area between 1969 and 1984. The federal government in 1993 stopped development on the sites after local communities demanded a study on the effects of offshore drilling on their lands and economies. Babbitt allowed four of them to expire in August. ¸ Copyright 1999 The Associated Press