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THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 2001

A group of 50 business owners in Rocky Mountain states on Wednesday sent President Bush a letter, urging him not to open up federal lands to gas and oil drilling.

The group said their businesses could be hurt and the region could lose tourists if development occurred. They also said national forests could be impacted.

In February, Secretary of Interior Gale Norton said the administration was looking at the Overthrust Belt, a geographical formation that spans much of the Rocky Mountains, for possible development. But in recent salvos to the media, she now says there is no attempt to open up off-limits areas to drilling.

Get the Story:
Business owners in Rockies tell Bush oil and gas development could harm their tourist economy (AP 8/29)

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In The Hoop: Where's Our Letter (8/23)
In The Hoop: Norton Strikes Back (8/21)
Republicans want to drill West (3/16)
Norton targets Rockies for drilling (2/15)