President-elect George W. Bush, a former oil driller, signaledlast week that he plans to move energy issues to center stage whenhe arrives in Washington, focusing on oil and natural gasexploration and production and opening up more federal lands tocarry out these activities.

He indicated several issues that have long been on the energyindustry’s “wish list” — greater access to public lands fordrilling, an expedited process at FERC for approving more expansionof pipeline capacity, a more favorable investment climate forexpanding power generation capacity and an easing of environmentalrestrictions — will receive top priority under hisadministration.

“I strongly believe that we must work in concert to increase theamount of supply available for American consumers — supply ofnatural gas, supply of coal, supply of plant and equipment,” TheLos Angeles Times quoted Bush as saying during a press conferencein Austin, TX, last week. The nation currently is “undersupplied”and demand is escalating, resulting in runaway prices, he noted.

On another energy issue, California Gov. Gray Davis spoke bytelephone with Bush last Thursday about the problems in the state’selectricity market. “He found that the president-elect was wellinformed of the situation here in California, and the two pledgedto mutually work together to manage the problem,” said a press aidefor the governor.

“I don’t think the talks got that specific,” the aide noted,when asked if Bush and Gov. Davis discussed possible remedies.

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