Romney endorses drilling in Arctic refuge

Governor Mitt Romney yesterday endorsed a proposal to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, putting him at odds with Senator John McCain of Arizona and others in the Republican Party who have fiercely resisted the Bush administration's efforts to open the site for oil exploration.

In an interview with Chris Matthews, the host of MSNBC political show ''Hardball with Chris Matthews," Romney says he ''absolutely" supports drilling in the wildlife refuge because it would help reduce the country's reliance on foreign sources of oil, according to a transcript of the show, which was scheduled to be shown last night.

''I think we ought to have more oil -- we ought to develop more sources of oil so that we can increase our supply, but the last thing I want to do is suck it all dry as quickly as we can," Romney said, adding that the country's ''bright economic future" depends in part on using less foreign oil. The United States currently gets nearly 60 percent of its oil overseas, according to the US Department of the Interior.

Romney's position could help him with conservatives if he decides to seek the presidency in 2008, and the issue could create a distinction between him and McCain if both seek the nomination. Last month, conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh denounced McCain and other Republican lawmakers for opposing opening the refuge to drilling.

Romney's support of drilling puts him in line with President Bush. But it's a break from moderate Republicans in New England and across the country who have sided with Democrats in blocking attempts to allow drilling.

''Obviously he's playing to the Republican right that would rather protect oil companies than pristine open spaces in ANWR," said US Representative Martin T. Meehan, a Lowell Democrat and critic of the drilling proposal, adding that it was risky for Romney to go against moderate GOP voices in New Hampshire and elsewhere in New England. ''New England is not the place where even Republicans are ready to embrace [drilling]."

At issue is a 1.5-million acre portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that the Department of the Interior says could generate 10 billion barrels of oil.

But the refuge is home to polar bears, caribou, migratory birds, and other wildlife, and opponents say drilling there would benefit oil companies, not produce any oil for at least 10 years, and would scar the pristine environment.

Congressional Republicans have for years tried to get a bill passed that would allow drilling in the refuge. It is currently being debated by House and Senate conferees as part of a budget bill.

Scott Helman can be reached at shelman@globe.com.