Public will see little from drilling on public lands

The Bush-Cheney energy plan is working perfectly, if you happen to be an oil executive swimming in record profits.

If you happen to be an everyday American wondering where to cut corners to afford $3.30 gas, it's a nightmare.

We were under the impression the Bush administration's aggressive energy-exploration policy would pay off in savings at the gas pump. It hasn't, and there are no signs that relief is on the way, even as the administration opens the gate to exploration on more of our public lands.

Yet the administration is not making oil companies accountable for explaining those record profits, nor for ensuring drilling on public lands will benefit average Americans rather that the companies' bottom lines.

All of that exploration will do little to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Even if the rich oil fields of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge were tapped, the oil production would do little to bring down gas prices. The total amount produced would be enough to supply this country's needs for less than a year.

Meanwhile, oil companies, which also enjoy significant tax breaks, are getting unprecedented access to our public lands. Federal land managers have been instructed to make their needs their priority, rather than other more mundane tasks, like protecting wildlife, habitat and natural history.

The aggressive Bush policy has even brought on criticism from longtime GOP allies - hunters and anglers, who are worried about the loss of habitat.

Yet the Republican response, from leaders like Sen. Orrin Hatch, hasn't changed ... the drilling is needed to bring down gas prices.

Sorry, we've heard that one before, and we're not buying it.