WASHINGTON -- Congressman George Miller (D-Calif.) hailed the announcement today by British Petroleum that it will suspend all foreign exports of Alaska crude oil, an action that will add an additional 60,000 barrels of oil a day into West Coast refining markets.

Just one week ago, Miller and several other West Coast Democratic lawmakers called on President Clinton to temporarily ban the export of Alaska oil as one step in many that could be taken to address the recent sharp rise in gas prices. Clinton Administration officials said at the time that they would consider Miller's request.

"I welcome the announcement by BP that it will send its oil to West Coast markets rather than to Asia," Miller said Thursday. "That was always the right thing to do, but it is especially important now. At this critical time of record high oil prices and tight supplies from foreign producers, it does not make sense to sell precious domestically-produced oil overseas, further compounding our energy shortage and the serious impacts on consumers."

Congress had banned exports of Alaska oil until the Republican-led Congress voted to lift the ban in 1995. Miller argued then, and now, that Alaska oil should remain in the United States in an effort to reduce our dependency on foreign oil. Miller said that a ban on exports is just one needed step. He said energy conservation efforts and higher fuel economy standards are important steps that should also be taken to reduce American dependency on foreign oil. But Miller noted that those conservation efforts have been blocked by Republican presidents and now by a Republican-led Congress that is cutting energy conservation budgets and blocking efforts to expand automobile fuel efficiency standards, known as CAFE standards.

The Honorable Don Young
Chairman
Committee on Resources
1324 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Mr. Chairman:

I would like to respond to your inquiry regarding BP Amoco's plans concerning Alaska North Slope oil exports. Pending completion of contacts due at the end of April, at this time we do not have subsequent plans to export.

We applaud the Administration and the Congress for its wisdom to permit the market to work and to remove an historical penalty imposed on Alaska North Slope oil. The West Coast is part of the global crude market. The ultimate destination of Alaskan crude has no affect on either West Coast supply or gasoline prices. Once our acquisition of ARCO is complete, we would expect to run all of our Alaska crude through ARCO's excellent West Coast refining and marketing network.

Sincerely,

Larry D. Burton
BP Amoco