| Company Pulls Out of Arctic Oil Lobby | 08 February 05 |
 ConocoPhillips has dropped out of Arctic Power, a high-profile group that lobbies for opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil and gas drilling.The company's departure from Arctic Power follows another major oil company, BP Plc's withdrawal from the group in November 2002. The move also comes as the US Congress gears up to reopen the debate on drilling in the oil-rich Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, currently closed to production. President Bush supports opening the area to exploration and analysts have speculated that his victory in November's presidential election would give a boost to oil companies' efforts there. Moderate Republicans and Democrats in the US Senate oppose the drilling plan. Environmentalists, who have buffeted oil companies with e-mail and shareholder resolutions over the issue, hailed ConocoPhillips' decision as a victory for the movement to keep the region closed to oil exploration. View the January 6, 2005 Planet Ark article from Reuters View previous 2004 coverage by Manitoba Wildlands Source: Reuters |
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