SACRAMENTO: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday he opposes lifting a ban on new oil drilling in coastal waters, breaking with President Bush and Republican presidential candidate John McCain.
Schwarzenegger, who has endorsed McCain's presidential bid, said the federal offshore drilling ban was not to blame for soaring gas prices. A federal moratorium has been in place for 27 years.
"We are in this situation because of our dependence on traditional petroleum-based oil," Schwarzenegger said in a statement that referred only to Bush's call for the ban and did not mention McCain. "The direction our nation needs to go in, and where California is already headed, is toward greater innovation in new technologies and new fuel choices for consumers."
He said that is how fuel costs ultimately will be reduced.
Bush on Wednesday urged Congress to lift the federal ban on offshore oil and gas drilling as a way to boost domestic energy production. His call followed a statement earlier in the week by McCain, who said removing the ban would be a key part of his energy plan.................
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