Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Wednesday voiced his opposition to oil drilling off California's coast, despite Bush's call on increasing oil production to ease soaring oil prices.
"California's coastline is an international treasure. I do not support lifting this moratorium on new oil drilling off our coast," the governor said in a statement after President George W. Bush called for lifting a moratorium on offshore oil drilling along the coast of California and other coastal states.
"However, I do welcome the national discussion about how to lower the cost of gasoline," said Schwarzenegger, a Republican.
Soaring oil prices "are taking a toll on California families just as they are across the country," he said.
"We are in this situation because of our dependence on traditional petroleum-based oil. The direction our nation needs to go in, and where California is already headed, is toward greater innovation in new technologies and new fuel choices for consumers. That is the way we will ultimately reduce fuel costs and also protect our environment."
With gasoline topping four U.S. dollars a gallon, Bush urged Congress to lift its long-standing ban on offshore oil and gas drilling, saying the United States needs to increase its energy production.
"There is no excuse for delay," the president said in a statement. "Families across the country are looking to Washington for a response," Bush said.
But his call was rejected by Congressional Democrats who say oil companies already have 68 million acres offshore waters under lease that are not being developed.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Bush's proposals "another page from (an)... energy policy that was literally written by the oil industry - give away more public resources."
Senator Barack Obama, the Democrats' presumptive presidential nominee, rejected lifting the drilling moratorium that has been supported by a succession of presidents for nearly two decades.
"This is not something that's going to give consumers short-term relief and it is not a long-term solution to our problems with fossil fuels generally and oil in particular," said Obama.
Source:Xinhua
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