NH cong delegation divided on offshore drilling

WASHINGTON—New Hampshire's congressional delegation was divided along party lines on President Bush's decision Monday to lift an executive ban on offshore oil drilling.

The move will have no practical effect unless Congress acts, too. Both executive and legislative bans must be lifted before offshore exploration can happen.

Democratic Reps. Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes called the president's action shortsighted, saying it won't address the nation's long-term energy crisis.

"For the last eight years, we've had two oilmen in the White House. Enough is enough," Shea-Porter said in a statement. "We need leaders who will stand up for the American people instead of standing up for the oil companies."

Hodes said drilling should be done on the 68 million acres on which oil companies currently hold leases and permits. "I am co-sponsoring legislation that would require oil companies to drill on that land or lose their leases," he said. "The estimates are that there is a 14-year supply just waiting for big oil to put metal to the ground."

Republican Sens. Judd Gregg and John Sununu supported Bush's decision. The White House says that acting now on a long-term solution would send a serious signal to the market that more oil supply will be coming on line. That, in turn, could ease oil prices, advocates say. Business groups and many Republican lawmakers applauded the move to expand the energy supply in the U.S.

"I have supported and will continue to support a balanced approach using the best and cleanest technology to produce more energy here at home," Sununu said in a statement. "A balanced approach, including new domestic exploration in addition to conservation and renewables, is the only way to bring down prices and make America more energy independent."

Gregg said at a time when people in New Hampshire are paying over $4 a gallon at the pump and heating oil prices are nearing $5 a gallon, there is no need for Democratic Party leadership "to hold access to this supply of oil and gas hostage -- we can accomplish offshore drilling in an environmentally friendly way to the benefit of the American people and our nation's economy."