BP Alaska woes could hurt ANWR drilling -greens

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A leaky pipeline at BP Plc's Prudhoe Bay oilfield gives fodder to environmental groups opposed to drilling in the nearby Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and they say it will be harder for drilling supporters to convince Congress to open the area to energy companies.

The Bush administration, Alaska's congressional delegation and other backers of ANWR drilling have said for years that advanced drilling technology would make it environmentally safe to search for oil in Arctic refuge, which may hold 16 billion barrels of crude to help satisfy America's oil addiction.

However, green groups that have lobbied in Washington to keep ANWR off limits to drilling say BP's actions show that oil companies can't be trusted to safely drill in the refuge.

"It can be new technology, but if it's not maintained, if it's not tested, if it's not safeguarded by the companies, it's worthless," said Athan Manuel at the Sierra Club.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N09265520.htm