Oil and gas exploration remains blockedacross large swaths of federal and state landsin northern Alaska because of federalwildlife restrictions, and the Obama admin-istration appears to be preparing eventougher restrictions, state officials and busi-ness leaders from Alaska told a congressionalhearing in Washington on Thursday.Producers cannot access the non-wilder-ness portion of the Arctic National WildlifeRefuge (ANWR) because this area has notbeen made available for oil and gas leasing,while tough new federal wildlife protectionprograms are also dampening interest in theNational Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A),the witnesses said.
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